


A Journey of Discovery

by WyckedFae



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: BOTFA fix it, F/M, fem bilbo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 09:48:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 22,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15816444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WyckedFae/pseuds/WyckedFae
Summary: This is a work where Bilbo is female and named Mayflower. She knows weapons and traveling and other revelations will be revealed. We will go from the Beginning all the way to the End





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> STANDARD DISCLAIMER:  
> I do not own The Hobbit

# A Journey of Discovery

## Chapter 1

     This journey as always started with a Wizard. Now the journey for this Wizard started in Bree on his way to The Shire to visit the Hobbits. Well, one Hobbit in particular by the name of Mayflower Baggins. This Wizard has known Mayflower Baggins her whole life and was privy to the secret that no one in The Shire knew about her.

     Now Mayflower Baggins according to her neighbors was rather peculiar for a Hobbit. Most Hobbits know nothing of weapons, Mayflower on the other hand knows a great deal about weapons. She has been studying and learning them her whole life. It wasn’t just that which made her peculiar, it was the fact that she learned about weapons from the Elves of Rivendell.

     Now on the day that finds the Wizard in The Shire is a beautiful day as well most are in The Shire. Miss Mayflower Baggins is sitting on a bench in her front garden, smoking a pipe and giggling to herself because well she is breaking another unspoken rule that says female Hobbits don’t smoke pipeweed. Mayflower started smoking pipeweed with her Father when she was a tween. So here she is sitting on her bench and a smoke puff hits her on the nose. Opening her eyes she sees the Wizard that started our journey. “Gandalf, I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”

     “Well, Miss Baggins, I am looking for someone to join in an Adventure?”

     She laughs quietly, “Well, I guess I can be labeled a disturber of the peace again. What does this Adventure involve?”

     Gandalf replied, “If you could host a few people in your lovely home tomorrow night, I will tell you everything.”

     “And just how many is a few people, Gandalf?”

     “Well 13 dwarves, myself and of course you”

     “13 dwarves. I guess I am going further than Rivendell then?” Mayflower stated.

     “Yes, my dear. Much further than Rivendell.”

     “What time will they be here tomorrow then?”

     “Around 8 pm Mayflower”

     “Well, I have a lot to do between then and now. So I will see you tomorrow night dear Gandalf”

     “Tomorrow night my dear Mayflower” and with that statement Gandalf turned on his heel and walked away saying over his shoulder. “Is your traveling equipment in good working order my dear girl?”

     “Of course Gandalf. My gear is always in good working order since I never know when you will be by to take me on an Adventure” she replied with a laugh and smile in her voice. With that statement, she stood and entered her smial, thinking to herself what she needed to do before tomorrow night.

     Mayflower bustled about her smial for a bit checking her pantry and seeing that she needed a few things from the market, she grabbed a basket and her cloak. She exited her home and left for the market not realizing that Gandalf had waited for her to leave, smiling to himself he placed a small glowing mark near the bottom of her door where Mayflower wouldn’t see it.

     Mayflower walked towards the market greeting others as she went. “Good morning Mr. Proudfoot, Do you have any mushrooms this morning?” Mayflower asked quietly.

     “Miss Mayflower, for you I do. I even have your favorites today.” Mr. Proudfoot replied quietly, “let me get them for you.”

     “Thank you Mr. Proudfoot. I would like that very much” she smiled brightly.

     After her shopping she turned and started for home. While on her way she saw her cousin Drogo Baggins. She called out “Drogo, will you walk me home. I need to speak to you if you have the time?”

     Drogo turned and smiled, “Of course Mayflower. I have plenty of time for my favorite cousin.” Drogo walks over to her and takes the second basket and starts walking with her. “Now, what do you wish to speak to me about?”

     Laughing she replied, “Well dear Drogo, I am off on an adventure. Gandalf stopped by this morning”

     “Another trip to Rivendell cousin?”

     “No, Drogo. Gandalf said we are going further than Rivendell this time. I will be traveling with a company it seems. They will be meeting at my home tomorrow night to talk about the trip. So I don’t know how long I will be gone this time.”

     “Further than Rivendell?”

     “Yes and I am quite looking forward to it.”

     He laughs softly, “I’m sure you are dear cousin. Now I expect you want me and Prim to take care of Bag End while you are gone?”

     “Yes Drogo, I do and if I don’t come back you will inherit it. As we all know these adventures I go on can be dangerous. So don’t object.’

     “Alright Mayflower. But I pray that you come back since this is your home.”

     By this time they were at the door to Bag End, she opened the door and invited Drogo in. “You’ll have to take the paperwork to the Thain, Drogo.”

     “I always do Mayflower.”

     They walked down the hallway to the kitchen setting everything on the table and then headed for the study. “Let me get all the papers Drogo.”

     “Okay Mayflower.”

     She gets all the paperwork together for Drogo, hands it to him and smiles gently “I’ll see you when I get back, Drogo.”

     He smiles and says. “See you when you get back Mayflower.” After saying this he turned and walked out the door closing it quietly.

     She finished getting the dinner and snacks ready for the company coming tonight. Humming softly to herself, she starts packing her bag for the journey. Making sure she has her sturdy pants and shirts, she goes to the weapon cabinet in her hall and opens it, taking the scale like mail and her archer leathers from the shelf, she packs the scale mail and lays the leathers out for the morning.

     She looks around and realizes that she has everything she needs, her bedroll and blankets are packed in their watertight container and attached to her pack. She makes sure her boots are set to go. And now she just waits until the dwarves show up. She goes and lights the lamps near the door and smiles in anticipation.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

     As it gets dark there comes a knock on her door. She goes to answer it and opens it, seeing one of the tallest dwarves she has ever seen. Well, point of fact it he is the only dwarf she has ever seen.

     “Dwalin, son of Fundin at your service.” The bald dwarf says.

     “Mayflower Baggins at yours. Please come in Master Dwalin. Take your boots off and place your weapons on the rack on that wall and hang up your cloak” She points to the empty weapon rack on the wall.

     Dwalin looks at her in slight astonishment and looks at the rack. He leans down and unlaces his boots and removes them, hangs his cloak on a peg and begins to remove his weapons and place them on the rack.

     She looks at him and smiles. “This way Master Dwalin. There are snacks and such in the dining room.” She turns and walks towards a double door and opens both of them. “There is brown ale, mead or tea to drink as well.”

     “Thank you Miss Baggins. This is the most welcome I have felt in a long time.”

     “Are the others far behind you, Master Dwalin?”

     “They shouldn’t be too far behind, Miss Baggins” As he answered there was another knock on the door.

     “Please eat Master Dwalin, while I answer that.” She leaves the dining room as he reaches for a plate and some of the snacks laid out before him. She heads down the hall and opens the door. Before is another dwarf, somewhat older than Dwalin stands there. He turns to look at her and introduces himself. “Balin, at your service.”

     “Mayflower Baggins at yours. Please come in and remove your boots. Hang your cloak or coat on a peg and please hang your weapons on the rack.” She smiles as she steps back and lets Balin into her smial.

     He smiles pleasantly and enters quietly, stoops down and removes his boots, removing his coat and hangs it, setting his sword on a hook in the rack. “Please Master Balin, this way.” She leads the way to her dining room where Dwalin is standing silently.

     “Brother, it’s been awhile since I have seen you. You are shorter and wider than the last time.” Dwalin smiles and ribs his brother quietly.

     “Wider yes, but not shorter and smart enough for both of us.” Balin and Dwalin clasp each other’s shoulders and head-butted each other with a great and resounding THWACK.

     Mayflower flinches just a bit and rubs her forehead in sympathy but notices that neither of them seems to be the worse for wear. “Well, may I respectfully ask that I not be greeted that way? My head hurts just a bit hearing it.” She giggles quietly as both brothers turn towards her.

     Balin laughs,” I believe that will be alright, lass.”

     “Please sit and eat. We have dinner as soon as the others are here.” Just as she stated this there was another knock at the door, “please excuse me again Master Dwalin and Balin.” She heads down the hall another time and opens the door, this time there are two dwarves at her doorstep and they are much younger than both Dwalin and Balin. The one on the left was blonde and covered in lighter leathers than the brunette next to him.

     “Fili...”

     “and Kili”

     As they bow in unison, “at your service” is spoken in unison as well.

     “Mayflower Baggins at yours. Please come in, take your boots off and place them there, hang your coats or cloaks on a peg and place your weapons on the rack.” She smiles widely as she steps back to let them in.

     Both dwarves enter the hall and slowly remove their boots and place them next to Balin’s and Dwalin’s. After they enter she closes the door quietly, turns and sees that the blond dwarf, _Fili_ , she believes he introduced himself was removing multiple weapons. She laughs quietly and goes to grab a weapon basket. “Master Fili, your daggers and knives can be placed in this basket.” She smiled at him a little shyly.

     “Thank you Miss Baggins.” Fili begins placing all his knives and daggers in the basket. Kili looks at them and smiles a bit. “Fili, I told you that you might not need all those.” Fili laughs softly.

     “Master Kili, you never know what will happen on a long journey. It is always good to be prepared.” Mayflower states quietly.

     “Miss Boggins, you sound as if you have journeyed before?” Kili looks at her with respect.

     “I have Master Kili. And my name is Mayflower Baggins, not Boggins. After you are done, please come this way there are snacks waiting until the rest are here then I will serve dinner.” She smiles slightly and places the basket against the wall near the rack of weapons, turns and heads down the hall.

     Fili and Kili finish with everything and head after her. “Mister Dwalin and Mister Balin.” Kili says excitedly. Fili just nods his head in greeting.

     “Please both of you sit and eat. As I have told you, dinner will be served as soon as the others are here.” Another knock on the door echoes down the hall. She turns and heads back to the door, opening and stepping back as a gaggle of dwarves end up on the floor of her hall, she looks up and sees Gandalf. “Gandalf, there was no reason to stagger them like this.” She laughs softly as the newest arrivals pick themselves up off the floor. “Everyone, please remove your boots, hang your coats or cloaks from a peg and please place your weapons on the rack.” Seeing that the original rack is almost full, she pulls a cloth from another rack next to it.

     As everyone stands they removed their boots, placing there cloaks and cots on pegs and weapons on the racks. After this was done Gandalf introduced everyone. “Dori, Nori and Ori.” He pointed to an older dwarf with elaborate braids, a dwarf with tri-peaked hair, and one that was almost as young as Fili and Kili with russet hair. “Bofur, Bombur and Bifur.” With this introduction he pointed to a dwarf in a floppy eared hat, a large rotund and red bearded dwarf and then a dwarf with an axe in his forehead. “And finally Oin and Gloin.” This introduction was an older dwarf with what looked like an ear trumpet and a red haired dwarf. As the introduction were done, they all bowed and chorused “At your service, Miss”

     “I am Mayflower Baggins at your service as well.” She replied and smiled. Turning to look at Gandalf she motioned down to the dining room. “Please go down the hall and you will find snacks and drink.”

     As the dwarves went to the dining room, Mayflower stopped Gandalf, “By my count, Gandalf we are one short.”

     “Hmmm” Gandalf went down the hall and counted muttering names as he did. “It seems you are right, Mayflower. We are one dwarf short.”

     Dwalin looks up at Mayflower and Gandalf. “He went to a meeting of our kin and is just running late.”

     “Should we wait for him or should I just set a couple of plates aside for him?” Mayflower asked quietly.

     “Mayflower, my dear, I think it would be best to feed the ones that are here and set aside a couple of plates for the last member.” Gandalf replied serenely.

     “Alright, Gandalf. Masters Dwalin, Fili and Kili, would you please help me get everything out to the table. Gandalf, could you and a couple others clean up the snacks so we have space for everything?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

     Dwalin, Fili and Kili stand and wander after her towards the kitchen. She grabs the stack of plates and hands them to Kili. “Master Kili, please be careful with these they were a wedding gift to my grandmother, who gifted them to my mother when she married my father.”

     “Of course, Miss Baggins.” Kili takes the stack of plates carefully and heads back to the dining room and places a plate in front of each dwarf, he turns and Fili is behind him with the silverware. After him is Dwalin with a large platter of roast beef, with roasted potatoes around the edge. Mayflower brings up the rear with a tray of meat pasties. With each dish set on the table, they head back to the kitchen and bring back platter after platter and tray after tray of food. Mayflower takes a seat in a chair left open for her because it is too small for the dwarves to sit in.

     Mayflower grabs a plate makes a dinner for herself, just listening to the dwarves talk and eat. “Leave some room for dessert. I have cakes, pies and cookies.”

     Every dwarf perks up at the mention of sweets. “Miss Baggins, this is a very good dinner.” Says Bombur quietly.

     “Well, thank you Master Bombur. Every Hobbit prides themselves on their cooking. Many of these recipes were my mother’s and grandmother’s. After you’re finished please take your plates to the kitchen so I can clean them.”

     The dwarves look at each other and say almost in unison, “Please allow us to clean up as you have done a lot for us already”

     “But you’re guests…” Mayflower says slowly.

     Bombur says quietly, “Please Miss Baggins, let us do this for you. You have made us feel welcome and are allowing us to stay in your home for the night.”

     Mayflower smiles and gives in gracefully, ”Alright Master Bombur.”

     Bombur smiles and looks at the others and everyone starts to take their dishes and empty platters into the kitchen and soon Bombur, Bofur and Nori are cleaning and putting dishes away. After they are done, Mayflower goes into the kitchen and retrieves the desserts she had made for tonight and her guests. As she sets the last plate out, there comes a final knock on her door. Mayflower and Gandalf head down the hall and she opens the door. Standing there is a rather regal looking dwarf even in rough travel clothes and armor.

     “Gandalf, I thought you said this place would be easy to find? I got lost twice. If it hadn’t been for the lights and the mark on the door I wouldn’t have found it.”

     “Mayflower Baggins, allow me to introduce the Leader of our Company, Thorin Oakenshield.”

     “Please come in Master Oakenshield. Remove your boots, place them there, hang your coat or cloak on a peg and please place your weapon on the rack.” Mayflower states quietly.

     Thorin looks at her with just a bit of grudging respect. “Of course, Miss Baggins. May I ask, what is your weapon of choice, axe or sword?” He quickly and quietly, removes his boots, coat and places his weapon.

     Mayflower smiles slightly, “Neither actually, Master Oakenshield. I am primarily an archer but I have thrown daggers, boot daggers, long knives and galarum”

     “Miss Baggins, what is a galarum, if I may ask?” Thorin looks puzzled at the word.

     Mayflower smiles and steps towards a cabinet, “I will show you Master Oakenshield.” She opens the cabinet and all her weapons are displayed, reaching down to a small shelf, she picks up what looks like armored half-gloves, after pulling them onto her hands, she reaches up and pulls down two circular pieces of metal. “Now, I can’t let you hold them as they are bladed all along the outside. Now, these were made for me by a dwarven blacksmith. The Rangers commissioned all my metal weapons from the dwarves of Ered Luin for me.”

     Thorin looks at her for a moment and speaks quietly, “If I could see the maker’s mark on the weapons, I could tell you who made these for you?”

     Mayflower looks at him and smiles, “I would like that actually. I have always wondered about the smith that created these for me.” She pulls a piece of armored cloth from the shelf were the gloves had sat, she places the piece of cloth in Thorin’s hand and carefully transfers one of the galarum to him.

     Thorin begins to look and sees the mark and smiles. “Miss Baggins, I created these. I remember the commission because it is the first and last time that I created something like this. Are your boot daggers and thrown daggers also dwarrow make?”

     “Dwarrow, Master Oakenshield?” She looks puzzled at the word.

     “It’s the proper word for more than one dwarf.”

     “Ah, I shall endeavor to remember that Master Oakenshield and yes my boot daggers and thrown daggers are also dwarrow make. Would you like to see them as well?”

     “If it would be alright Miss Baggins.” He hands the galarum back to her carefully, watching her quietly put it back into place and the take two different types of daggers from hanging places for them.

     “This is one of the four boot daggers.” She hands him a dagger that is slightly thicker than the other dagger in her hand.

     He again begins inspecting the dagger and smiles, “Fili, come here please”

     Mayflower can hear one of the dwarrow walking into the hallway where the cabinet is. Thorin hands Fili the dagger and points to the maker’s mark on it.

     Fili smiles and says, “I didn’t realize that this set of boot daggers was for a hobbit, Miss Baggins.”

     “Master Fili, you made my boot daggers?” While this was going on Thorin was inspecting the thrown dagger that Mayflower had handed to him a moment ago.

     “And apparently, your thrown daggers as well Miss Baggins. You mentioned something called long knives, I don’t believe I have seen or heard something like it? May I see them?”

     “Of course, but I will tell you this. Long knives are elven weapons. I have been trained in all of my weapons between the Rangers and the Elves of Rivendell.” She reaches for a double sheathe that is hanging carefully in the cabinet and draws one of the long knives from the sheathe.

     Fili looks at Mayflower and asks quietly, “You use double blades when fighting with long knives?”

     “Master Fili, I fight with double blades with all my weapons except my bow.” She hands the long knife to Thorin, who looks at it with a critical eye. The blade is long and thin but incredibly strong.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

     Thorin hands the long knife back to Mayflower and says quietly, “It is not dwarrow make but the Elves craft metal work better than Men. You say that you were trained by Rangers and the Elves of Rivendell? Did you learn swords by any chance Miss Baggins?”

     “I can use a sword Master Oakenshield but because I am not a large person, they are not best suited to me. The long knives give me an option that are not daggers or thrown weapons. Though the galarum can be thrown or close combat. Please Master Oakenshield, I have sinner waiting for you and I am sure that the other dwarrow would like to see you. Follow me.” Mayflower places all the weapons back in their proper places in the cabinet and closes it again before turning to head back down the hallway to the dining room. Thorin and Fili both follow her back to the dining room, Fili takes his place back beside Kili and Thorin takes the chair at the head of the table and Mayflower heads for the kitchen where she had placed two plates of food in the warmer oven. She brings them and silverware back to Thorin and places them before him. “Please eat and enjoy Master Oakenshield.” None of the other dwarrow says anything for a few moments, letting Thorin eat at little.

     “This is very good Miss Baggins. Thank you.” The others dwarrow take this as a chance to start asking questions.

     “Did they come? Will they help us?” Dwalin asks quietly.

     “Representatives of all seven clans came, but they say that this is our quest alone. Not even Dain will help us.” Thorin replies just as quietly as he finishes eating. Dwalin pushes a plate of different desserts before Thorin.

     “Try them. They are very good” Dwalin says with a smile and a nod towards the desserts.

     “If I may ask, what is the quest that you are going on, Master Oakenshield? And why do you need me?” Mayflower asks quietly.

     “We are going to retake our ancient homeland of Erebor, Miss Baggins.” Thorin pulls a map from a pocket in his tunic, unfolds it and places it on the table before him.

     “Mayflower, could we have some more light please?” Gandalf looks to her and smiles.

     She nods her head and grabs three candles and places them on the table and notices something about the map. “Master Oakenshield, may I see the map please?” He hands it to her quietly. She looks at it in the light of a candle and feels the edge near the bottom and hums softly. She turns towards her study with Thorin, Balin and Gandalf directly behind her. She takes a small lantern down from a shelf and lights the candle inside and places the shield back in place. She holds the map out to the lantern and smiles, turns and pulls a couple of books from her shelf and flips through them muttering to herself quietly.

     “Miss Baggins, what have you found and what kind of lantern is that?” Balin asks.

     Mayflower looks up and smiles slightly, “Oh, it’s a lantern that my father had made. It concentrates the light from a single candle through just a single opening in the shielding. My father called it a Scholar’s Friend. It was his design; I don’t use it as often as he did and as to what I found. There are runes written on the bottom edge of the map, but I can’t read them. I can feel them though. I believe they are moon runes; there are 2 places that I know of that these runes can be read in and only 3 people that can read them. One place is Lothlorien and the Lady Galadriel and the other place is Rivendell and Lord Elrond or his chief Councilor and Head Librarian Lord Erestor.”

     Thorin sighs softly, “Are there no other places that these runes can be read?”

     “No other places Master Oakenshield. Even if there were I cannot read these ancient runes.” Mayflower looks up and hands the map back to Thorin, then pulls the shielding from the lantern and blows out the candle, turns to put it back up on the shelf.

     “Miss Baggins, may I look at the lantern?” Balin smiles and holds a hand out. “I am a scholar myself and have always despaired of ever having the best light for certain texts.” Mayflower smiles and hands the lantern to Balin. “You say your father designed this, Miss Baggins?”

     “Yes Master Balin, it’s a standard lantern with a modified shielding is all. He like you despaired of having specific lighting for certain things. Mainly older texts such as these.” Mayflower reaches up and pulls three books down that were visibly older than the others. “These texts are very old and the lines of ink are starting to fade and light that is throughout the room makes it harder to read. The lantern focuses the candlelight and allows you to read the faded text better and actually copy it so that the book is preserved." Balin hands the lantern back to her and she places everything back on the shelves and takes them back to the dining room.

     Everyone sits again and Thorin explains about the runes and Balin states clearly, “Thorin, you must remember that the front gate is closed and there is no other way to get in.”

     Gandalf speaks up at that, “That’s not entirely true, Master Balin.” He reaches into his robe and pulls out a heavy iron key and hands it to Thorin.

     “Where did you get this, Gandalf?” Thorin asks with a look of almost awe on his face.

     “Your father, Thrain placed it into my keeping until it was time to retake Erebor from Smaug.”

     Kili said a little loudly and enthusiastically, “If there is a key then there must be a door.” Everyone started talking at once, Mayflower looked at Thorin and asked quietly, “What do you need me for, Master Oakenshield?”

     Thorin looked at her and stated quietly, “We need someone to go in and look for something specific in the treasure room. Basically we need a burglar.”

     “A burglar, me. I haven’t stolen anything in years.” Mayflower looked rather confused, “And no one even knew that I ever stole anything from anyone. And technically, I recovered items for people and sometimes recovered people.”

     “Recovered people?” Thorin looks rather confused.

     “Mmm, yes. I was paid to recover a young human male from slavers. It was the last job I took before I retired. About 10 years ago now. I recovered not just the human male, but 4 dwarrow, and 3 Hobbits who live in Bree.” Mayflower looked at Thorin and smiled shyly.

     Thorin looked at Balin, “!0 years ago, Miss Baggins? Are you certain about the time?”

     “Yes, Master Oakenshield. I am positive because it was the last job I took.

     Mayflower looked between Thorin and Balin. “Why?”

     “Because, Miss Baggins, one of those dwarrow that you recovered that night was Kili there. He said he never really saw who set him free.” Thorin looked at Kili and smiled a bit. “Kili, you may want to thank Miss Baggins.”

     “Why Thorin?”

     “Miss Baggins is the person that released the people that those slavers took about 10 years ago.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bold is Khuzdul  
> Italics is Sindarin

**Chapter 5**

     Everyone turns and looks at Mayflower, she gets so embarrassed that she starts to blush the tips of her ears are a bright pink and twitching as she feels all the eyes of the dwarrow on her. Kili smiled, “I thank you very much Miss Baggins.”

     Mayflower mumbles, “Your welcome Master Kili.” Her blush getting even deeper, her ears twitching frantically. Gandalf laughs softly. “She is not used to praise my dear dwarrows. I would suggest that we give her the contract, so we have our burglar.” Balin smiles and reaches into a tunic pocket and hands Mayflower a rather thick packet of papers. She unfurls the contract and reads it carefully, humming softly. She stands and goes to her study and grabs a bottle of ink and a quill. She goes back into the dining room and reads the rest of the contract and swiftly signs it and blows gently drying the ink. “There, now you have a burglar.” She laughs softly. She hands the contract back to Balin.

     “Well, I think it’s time that I showed you all to your rooms. You guys will have to bunk together since I don’t have enough guests’ rooms for everyone to have their own. There are 3 rooms with man-sized rooms and 4 have Hobbit-sized rooms.”

     Thorin and the rest of the Company look gob smacked. “Miss Baggins, we never expected rooms. We thought we might bed down in your family room and maybe your study.” Thorin stated.

     Mayflower laughs softly, “I have hosted large parties before, Master Oakenshield. That’s one of the reasons that I have the extra weapons racks in my home.” She stands and starts down the hallway towards the guest rooms. “Gandalf, your room is all ready for you. This way Master Dwarrow.” She opens a door at the end of the hallway, “Masters Dori, Nori and Ori, this room is yours.”

     She moved to the next door and opened it after Dori, Nori and Ori moved into the one she pointed them too. “This one is for Masters Bofur, Bombur and Bifur.” They moved into the room and she smiled quietly. She opened the next door she moved too, “Masters Oin and Gloin this room is for you.” She moved down the hall opening doors and directs dwarrow to rooms. She opened the last door and directed Thorin to it. “Master Dwarrow, each hallway has a bathroom at the end for in the morning. I will be up and prepare breakfast before we leave. Everyone have a good night and sleep well.” Mayflower smiles and heads back towards her room. Opening her door, she looks back towards the guest rooms and smiles, closing the door silently. She gets ready for bed, leaving clothes and her leathers out for the morning; she falls into bed and sleeps deeply, waking just before the sunrises.

     She washes up and gets dressed before moving into the kitchen and starts making breakfast. Starts frying eggs, bacon and mixes biscuits together and gets them into the oven, moving silently and humming softly. She turned and noticed the blonde dwarf, Fili she believes his name is, in the doorway. ”Good Morning Master Fili.” She continues making breakfast, smiles at him over her shoulder and says, “Can you put plates on the dining table, Master Fili, while I start tea and coffee?”

     Fili smiles, “Of course Miss Baggins.” He grabs the stack of plates on the kitchen table and takes them to the dining room and sets them down before heading back to the kitchen. “Can I do anything else for you Miss Baggins?”

     She laughs softly, “The silverware and napkins can go in next please Master Fili and then the mugs for tea and coffee.” She throws a smile over her shoulder at him. She turned away so she didn’t notice the Fili had a slight flush on his cheeks from her smiling at him.

     He grabbed those and headed towards the dining room almost running into Kili in the process. Kili noticed the flush on Fili’s cheeks and Kili laughed softly. “ **Do you like her, Fili?** ” Kili asked slyly.

     “ **Hush Kili.** ” Fili looked behind him into the kitchen, “ **I just think she’s pretty Kili.** ” Fili heads for the dining room with Kili right behind him, placing the silverware and napkins next to the plates, They both turned and other dwarrow were starting to come out of the rooms they had been sleeping in the night before.

     Bombur headed for the kitchen to see if he could help with breakfast, Mayflower turned to look at him and said, “It’s alright Master Bombur, I have everything already in hand. I am just going to need help getting everything to the dining room so we can all eat and then get ready to go.” Mayflower smiled at him and turned to pull the biscuits from the oven along with scones.

     Fili and Kili came back to the kitchen, “Miss Baggins, is there anything else we can do to help?” Fili and Kili smiled at her quickly. She turned and looked at the platters on the kitchen table.

     “Master Fili, Kili and Bombur those platters can go to the table. Sausages and scones, biscuits can go next. There is tea and coffee as well that can go out when you come back.” She gestured to the platters, plates and pots. “There is also oatmeal, porridge and a few other things. Take it to the dining room please and I’ll be right behind you.” She smiled at the 3 dwarrow and plated everything that was being fried up. Bombur, Fili, and Kili each grabbed platters and headed towards the dining room, they set them down and turned back to the kitchen grabbing more platters and plates, getting them set up in the dining room.

     All the dwarrow filed into the dining room and took a plate, making sure to fill them up and eat as much as they could so that they could move quickly to the edge of the Shire. Thorin looked at Mayflower, “Miss Baggins, have you ever ridden a pony?”

     “Yes, Master Oakenshield. As a matter of fact, I believe that Gandalf has gone to the stables at the Green Dragon to get her and her tack.”

     “You have your own pony Miss Baggins?” Kili asked quietly.

     “I do indeed Master Kili. I have said before that I have traveled quite a bit. From here to Rivendell and a few other places. I have even been to Ered Luin a couple of times mainly to see the outside market. As a matter of fact, I have patrolled with the Rangers several times.”

     “You’ve been to Ered Luin? And patrolled with the Rangers?” Thorin asked quietly.

     “Yes Master Oakenshield. The Rangers are one of the groups that helped train me. I believe I mentioned that last night. And yes I have been to Ered Luin but like I said only to the open markets on the outside of the gates. As soon as everyone is finished, we will clean the dishes and then be ready to go.” Mayflower said quietly. She finished and brought her plate to the kitchen and cleaned it quickly, putting it away as soon as she was done.

     Gandalf walked into the kitchen as she was finishing, “I have brought your pony, Cinnamon, my dear.”

     “Thank you Gandalf. Please go and get something to eat. I don’t want you falling over faint from lack of food Gandalf because I can’t pick you up.” Mayflower laughs quietly as Gandalf chuckles slightly and walks to the dining room. Gandalf ate quickly, sighing and smiling as he did so. Watching all the dwarrow clean up after themselves. He looks at Thorin, “I see that Mayflower has gotten your dwarrow to clean up after themselves.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

     Thorin laughs and smiles, “It’s because she has made us feel very welcome and we dwarrow like to return that feeling. She didn’t have to welcome us as she did.”

     As the dwarrow finished cleaning up, Mayflower enters the hallway after putting on her leathers, she walked down the hallway to the cabinet where her weapons were all stored. She started putting every weapon in their proper place on her person. She takes a sharpening stone and weapon oil and places them in a waterproof pouch in her pack. All the dwarrow were set and ready as soon as she was done. She exited the smial and locked the door. Her gardener, Hamfast was waiting at the end of the stairs.

     She smiled at Hamfast, “How do you always know when I am leaving Hamfast? As usual Drogo and Primula will be coming to stay here in the next couple of days.”

     Hamfast laughs, “I know because Drogo makes sure that I know, Miss Mayflower. Do you know how long you’ll be gone this time, Miss?”

     “Not sure how long Hamfast but Drogo knows that and he has all the paperwork just in case.” Mayflower smiled and hugged Hamfast tightly. “Thank you for looking after the gardens, Hamfast.” She turned away and headed to her pony, setting her back on the special hooks for her pack and then mounted quickly. She waved at Hamfast as they started on their way.

     They moved quickly through the Shire. Mayflower rode confidently and easily. Gandalf rode near her. “Well, my dear we are off on another journey it seems.”

     “Yes Gandalf and it feels good. I don’t believe that retirement works for me.” She laughed quietly. “I was starting to get restless, you know. I might have taken another job sooner or later.”

     Gandalf laughed wryly, “Well, then I guess it’s a good thing I came to see you when I did.

     Mayflower looked around and smiled, “Yes Gandalf it is. I don’t think I would like to have missed this.” Mayflower turned and pulled an apple from her pack and tossed one to Gandalf and grabbed another for herself. “Does anyone want an apple?” She called out to the Company.

     Several of the dwarrow raised their hands, she pulled apples from her bags and tossed them to each dwarf. “I have a few more, these will last a couple of days so just ask for one if you want.”

     Fili and Kili rode up next to Mayflower and started talking quietly, while Gandalf moved up to the head of the Company next to Thorin. So Miss Baggins, you said that you trained with the rangers but that was only one of the groups that you trained with. Who was the other group?” Kili asked quietly while munching on his apple.

     “Well, the Rangers worked on mostly my skills with my blades except my long knives. My bow and long knives I trained with the Elves from Rivendell. And have gone patrolling with them for orcs as I have done with the Rangers.”

     “You learned your archery skills from the Elves?” Kili asked in astonishment. “They are the best at archery, though I have to say that my skills are almost as good. You’ve hunted orcs with both the rangers and the Elves?”

     Mayflower laughed at the look on Kili and Fili’s faces. “Yes, I have hunted orcs, goblins, wargs and wolves. I have also hunted for food. If Master Oakenshield goes to Rivendell to have those runes read, then you might get to meet Elrohir and Elldan. They are Lord Elrond’s twin sons and they are the ones I hunt Orcs with primarily. They take Orc hunting personally.”

     Kili and Fili looked at her in astonishment at her admission, they looked at each other and smiled. “Well, I think you will just fine with us on this quest then, Miss Baggins.” Fili spoke with confidence and smiled at her.

     “Thank you, Master Fili. I appreciate that coming from you all since you have never actually seen me fight.” Mayflower smiled slightly at Fili. She continued to ride easily as they moved ever closer to the border of the Shire. “Master Fili and Kili, as we pass through the border of the Shire in the next couple of days I can point out the Rangers to you. They are quite good at hiding in the borders of the Shire with the woods.”

     The traveling continued towards the border setting up camp and breaking it down each night and day. They finally passed the borders of the Shire in 3 days. Fili, Kili and Mayflower were the last to cross the border and Mayflower pointed to the Rangers hiding along the border, watching as the dwarrow, Gandalf and Mayflower passed out of the Shire. Fili and Kili looked at each other and then at Mayflower, “We never would have seen them there. They blend in quite easily.”

     “That they do Master Fili. They are quite good at what they do. They make sure that no undesirable elements enter the Shire and if they get past the Rangers, they follow them and keep them from getting further into the Shire.” Mayflower laughed and smiled. She relaxed even more as they left the Shire.

     “Can I ask why the Rangers patrol the borders of the Shire?” Kili asked.

     “I told you before Master Kili, that I am considered quite weird for a Hobbit. No other Hobbit in the Shire has my training in weapons. So the Rangers patrol the borders because the Hobbits of the Shire aren’t fighters at all.” Mayflower replied calmly. “Do you know if we are going to be going through Bree or are we going to bypass the town?”

     “I’m not sure, Miss Baggins. But I can ask Thorin for you, why?” Fili replied while looking at her.

     Mayflower blushed and her ears twitched. “Well, because of what I did 10 years ago going into Bree for me is quite challenging. The young man that I recovered from the slavers saw my face and has told pretty much everyone what I did. This is one of the reasons that I retired.”

     “Challenging, you say? Would you like to make that a little clearer for us, Miss Baggins?” Fili and Kili said in tandem.

     “Ummm, well challenging as in every time I go into Bree, the young man and his family well make sure that I know how thankful they are. I get all sorts of gifts and praise. I makes me highly nervous and I really don’t want my ears to twitch constantly and I get flush bright read every time I am the sole focus of pretty much everyone’s attention.” Mayflower’s ears were twitching as she said all this in a bit of a rush not realizing that all the dwarrow were listening to what she was saying. She looked up and realized that all the dwarrow and Gandalf were totally focused on her, her ears twitched madly and furiously as her face flushed a very bright red.

     Gandalf laughed softly watching Mayflower. Mayflower for her part couldn’t seem to find her voice, she squeaked a few times and kept opening and closing her mouth, she ducked her head into her cloak hood and tried to hide. “This is exactly what I am talking about. This is what happens every time that I go into Bree. Basically, the whole town does this. Staring and gaping at me. I can’t handle this.” Mayflower tried to get smaller and smaller hunching into her cloak and trying to hide.

     Thorin closed his mouth and chuckled slightly, “Alright everyone enough. Stop staring at her.” At Thorin’s words, all the dwarrow stopped gaping and started moving again. Fili and Kili started moving as soon as Mayflower did.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bold is Khuzdul  
> Italics is Sindarin

**Chapter 7**

     Thorin yelled back to Mayflower, “I’m sorry Miss Baggins but we need to stop in Bree to restock our supplies.”

     “I understand, Master Oakenshield. I will just keep my cloak and hood pulled up so that I will be as invisible as possible.” Mayflower yelled back to Thorin who was at the head of the Company.

     Gandalf laughed at her response. “Do you think that will be enough, my dear?”

     “I have to hope Gandalf. I really don’t relish the thought of being the center of attention,” She smiled and pulled her hood away from her face.

     “You might want to hide some of your more distinct weapons then, before we go into Bree itself then Miss Baggins.” Fili told her kindly as he pointed to the galarum on her waist.

     She smiled at him slightly, “That just might help. Thank you Master Fili.” She reached for the galarum on her waist and unhooked them and reached for a metal mesh pouch that was in her bag, slipping them inside and putting the metal mesh bag back into her travel bag. “Thank you for reminding me, Master Fili.” She smiled at him a little brighter than before.

     Fili flushed a bit and she missed it because she turned away. Kili rode beside him and poked him in the side. “ **You like her, Fili. You need to say something to her.** ” Kili spoke quickly and quietly in Khuzdul to Fili.

     “ **Kili, shut it. I’m not saying anything about anything because like I said before I think she is pretty.** ” Fili spoke just as quietly back to Kili. They rode quietly together for the rest of the day, getting to Bree just as night started to fall. Mayflower pulled her hood up and tight around her face. They entered Bree and headed straight for the Prancing Pony, Mayflower stayed towards the middle of the group as they talked to the innkeeper for rooms. Thorin called to the group and they clustered around him and he handed out keys, he spoke quietly to Mayflower and told her that she was going to be rooming with Gandalf for that night. Mayflower smiled and requested that her dinner be sent up to her room along with a tankard of mead. “Of course, my dear. I’ll bring it up myself and maybe see about getting you a bath afterwards.” Gandalf said quietly.

     Mayflower looked at Gandalf with gratitude, “That would be most pleasant thank you Gandalf. I’m going to be going up to the room now.” She moved towards the stairs after taking the key to the room from Gandalf, who walked over to the bar and ordered the dinner for Mayflower along with the tankard of mead. When asked if he would like someone to take it up for him he replied that no he would do it as his nephew was quite shy and didn’t enjoy strangers very much. The innkeeper spoke quietly and got the dinner ready along with the mead so that Gandalf could bring it up himself before coming back down to eat with the dwarrow himself. He also arranged for a bath to be setup for his nephew after his dinner plates were brought back down.

     Gandalf and the dwarrow ate quickly because they wanted to get the supplies restocked and be on their way as quickly as possible the next day. Everyone slept well and decided on supplies to replace the next morning. Mayflower helped staying quiet and working with Thorin the next morning. “We are almost done, Miss Baggins.” Thorin said quietly to her as they moved around the market gathering the supplies that they were in charge of. Instead of speaking, she just nodded her head. When they were done they walked back to the Prancing Pony, checking to see if the others had finished with their tasks.

     They saw that everyone was done, all the newest supplies were packed quickly, their ponies readied and they set off yet again. Making their way through and out of Bree as quickly as possible. Mayflower waited a few hours before she removed the hood of her cloak. “That is so much better. I don’t think I could have stayed in my hood much longer if we had stayed in Bree.” Mayflower laughed lightly as did Fili and Kili who were riding on either side of her. This travel went on quietly for several days, rather monotonous really. After few days from Bree it started to rain rather heavily and everyone got a little short tempered. Food was cold at night in camp as they couldn’t get a fire going and it was frustrating to try and sleep in the rain.

     They finally came to the Trollshaws and the rain had stopped the night before. They made camp beside a burned out farmhouse. There was an argument between Gandalf and Thorin right before dinner was ready. Gandalf stormed off and Mayflower asked him, “Where are you going, Gandalf?”

     “Where I can have a decent conversation with someone other than dwarrow, Miss Baggins?” Gandalf replied aggrieved.

     “And who would that be, Gandalf?”

     “Myself!” He exclaimed and stormed off muttering about the stubbornness of dwarrow.

     Hours passed and dinner was finished cooking. Bofur called to Mayflower, “Can you take this to the boys, Miss Baggins?” He handed her 2 bowls of stew to take to Fili and Kili who were watching the ponies. Mayflower takes the bowls and looks at Bofur, “When do you think he’ll be back Master Bofur?”

     “Who Miss Baggins?”

     “Gandalf”

     “Well, I think he will be alright because he is a Wizard after all and he will come back when he is ready.”

     Mayflower turns and starts walking towards where the ponies were picketed for the night. She finds Fili and Kili standing there. “Here these are for you two.” She tries to hand the bowls to Fili and Kili but they sort of ignore her for a moment. “What’s wrong you two?”

     “Well, we have a small problem.” Kili said quietly. Fili looked at Mayflower and said, “We had 17 ponies including yours and now we have 15.” Mayflower did a quick count of her own, swiftly coming to the same conclusion as Fili that there were only 15 ponies.

     “Oh dear. What do you think could have happened to them, Master Fili and Kili?”

     Fili, Kili and Mayflower looked around and noticed a light in the distance, looked at each other and slowly made their way quietly towards the light. They came to a small clearing after a few uprooted trees. They all stopped at the edge of the light which they saw was a campfire. Mayflower spoke quietly, “Trolls.” She looked at Fili and Kili. “You know that their skin is rather tough. I have a poison vial in my pocket, we just need to get them out of camp so I can get it into their dinner.”

     “How do we do that Miss Baggins?” Kili asked just as quietly as she spoke.

     “Well Master Kili, we need to make noise on either side of the camp and back by where the ponies are. So one of you go left and one go right and the one that went left, go behind we the ponies are and make a little noise so the last troll turns his back. I will then slip into their camp and put the poison in their pot and then we wait. Once they are dead, we get the ponies and the others and see if there is a troll hoard.”

     Fili and Kili look at each other and slowly go off, Kili to the right and Fili to the left. She barely heard them move through the brush and trees on either side, but she did hear the noise they made and then the noise from behind the pony pen.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

     The trolls went left and right and the other turned his back for a moment. Mayflower darted out, not making a sound as she pulled the tight stopper from a bottle of clear liquid, quickly dumping the whole contents into the pot and then darting just as silently and quickly back to where she was before. Both Fili and Kili were there as she made it back. The trolls came back to camp and each took a slurp of whatever was in the pot and then another. The trolls looked at each other and stood stumbling a bit. None of them made a sound as they all fell to the ground which did cause the ground to shake a bit as Trolls are rather heavy. Fili and Kili looked at Mayflower and laughed softly. “Alright you two, let’s get the ponies and get them back and then we can tell the others and let Master Oakenshield decide to search for the hoard tonight or early tomorrow.” Mayflower, Fili and Kili head for the small pen the Trolls had constructed and as Fili and Kili grabbed reins, Mayflower cut the rope holding the pen closed and the lead the ponies back to the picket.

     Mayflower and Kili went back to the camp with the empty bowls, Thorin walked over to them, “Miss Baggins, you were gone a rather long time. Did something happen?”

     “Master Oakenshield, something did happen but it has been taken care of. We found 3 Trolls stealing ponies. All the Trolls are dead and the ponies returned to the picket. I am sure that the Trolls had a hoard of some kind. Would you rather search for it in the morning or now?” Mayflower grinned slightly at the rather perplexed look on Thorin’s face.

     “You 3 killed 3 Trolls alone?” Thorin spoke rather loudly alerting the Company to what had happened. Kili nodded, “Well actually Miss Baggins killed them. Fili and I served as a distraction.” Kili grinned cheekily.

     “Miss Baggins, how did you kill 3 Trolls?” Dori asked from behind Thorin, looking worried and sort of proud at the same time.

     “Master Dori, I killed the trolls with poison actually. A mixture of Nightshade and Belladonna both plants that Hobbits are shown, so we don’t eat them as they are poisonous and will kill anyone that eats them.” Mayflower looked a little proud of herself actually. Oin laughed harshly having heard her explanation with the aid of his hearing trumpet.

     “Swift thinking, lass.” Oin called out. “Tell me, do you know any other plants that are either medicinal or poisonous?”

     Mayflower smiled and shrugged a bit, “Most Hobbits do Master Oin. We are taught from a young age, what plants from the wild and our gardens that we can and can’t eat. My mum made sure that I knew many medicinal plants. I can help replace some plants that you use or perhaps loose for whatever reason, if you wish.”

     Thorin is still looking slightly gob smacked. Kili is laughing softly at everyone’s face because they look a bit gob smacked as well and Mayflower is discussing plants with Oin. “Miss Baggins, would you show me where the trolls are?”

     “Of course, Master Oakenshield. Follow me. Master Kili would you clean the bowls please?” Mayflower hands him Fili’s bowl.

     “Miss Baggins, I think you can call me Kili and yeah I’ll clean the bowls for you.” Kili smiles back at Mayflower.

     “I will call you Kili, if you will call me Mayflower. And thanks.” Mayflower smiled back. Releasing the bowl to Kili’s grip. She turns to look at Thorin and motions him to follow her, “This way Master Oakenshield.” She starts towards where Fili is still standing watch at the pony picket. “Master Fili, Kili will be back as soon as he is finished cleaning the bowls. Master Oakekshield wants the see where the trolls are.”

     Fili smiles and waves, “Oi! Since you are calling Kili by his name, you can just call me Fili.”

     “Same deal as Kili, Fili. I will use your name if you call me Mayflower.”

     “Sure thing Mayflower.” Fili smiles and flushes just lightly not even really noticeable in the dark of the trees. She heads towards where the trolls are, noticing that Thorin is almost as silent as Kili in the woods. She grins at him over her should, not making a sound at all even in her boots. “Master Oakenshield, you are almost as quiet as a Hobbit.”

     He laughs quietly, “Since you are calling my sister-sons by their names, I think it only fair that you use mine as well.”

     She stops in puzzlement, “Sister-sons?” She turns to look at him and cocks her head having never really heard the term before.

     He stops and looks at her smiling slightly, “Ah, the term in Common is nephews. Fili and Kili are my sister’s sons.”

     She laughs softly, “Alright but again same deal. I will use your name if you call me Mayflower.” She turns back around and continues towards where the trolls are. Stepping into the clearing she points to the troll sprawled on the forest floor, “Don’t touch the contents of the pot cause that’s where I poured the poison.” Thorin inspects the trolls and nods his head.

     “You did a good job, Mayflower. You took care of a problem with limited time and limited resources and kept anyone from being hurt. I believe we should look for the hoard in the morning. Let’s head back to camp and settle down for the night.” They both turn and head back to the camp passing Fili and Kili, Thorin stops for a moment, “I’ll send Gloin and Balin to relieve you both in a couple of hours. Get some sleep when you get back to camp, we look for the hoard in the morning.”

     “Okay, Uncle.” Fili and Kili replied. Mayflower had continued onto camp, and set up her bedroll thankful that she had a slightly heavier blanket. She went and sat at the fire for a bit and looked around at her companions. Thorin walks back into camp accompanied by Gandalf. “Gandalf, where have you been?” Mayflower exclaimed at seeing him.

     “My dear, I am fine. Don’t be worried. I went to look ahead and came back because I looked behind.’ Gandalf smiled and laughed a bit. “But I hear that you had a bit of excitement. Trolls and according to Thorin these are Mountain Trolls.”

     Mayflower flushes a bit at hearing the praise in Gandalf’s voice. “I figured that poison works for anything and everything. And I couldn’t let them get into the camp to hurt anyone, so I did what I had to do.” She shrugs trying to be nonchalant about it.

     Thorin chuckles and looks at the Company, “As you heard the trolls were Mountain Trolls and yes they are dead and we will look for the hoard in the morning and then head out,” he stops for a moment and takes a breath, “And head for Rivendell to get the map read.” Everyone nods and heads towards their bedroll. “Gloin, Balin will you replace Fili and Kili in a couple of hours and after them Dwalin and I will replace you for the last watch.”

     Everyone bedded down for the night and it passed quickly, Thorin and Dwalin woke everyone in the morning, Bombur and mayflower got breakfast ready for everyone. After eating, cleaning and packing up, they went looking for the troll hoard. It was found quickly, Mayflower decided not to enter because of the smell, Ori and Oin decided to stay with her. Fili and Kili soon came out of the cave looking a little green; they soon came to stand beside Mayflower, Ori and Oin. They could hear the others rooting around in the cave, the clink of coins and a bit of laughter. Soon everyone emerged from the cave and Gandalf came over to her and handed her a sword. “Gandalf, I’m not that great with a sword, you know this.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

     “I know that it’s not your primary weapon, Mayflower but I would feel better knowing that you have it just in case you need it. Besides, my dear, that is an elvish weapon of old and it glows blue in the presence of orcs and goblins.” Gandalf replied calmly. He watched as she hung the sheathe from an open loop on her belt. There were loud noises rushing from the underbrush when a sled being pulled by rabbits of all things and controlled weird looking man dressed in brown.

     “Radagast! Radagast the Brown, what are you doing here?”

     “Gandalf, something is wrong. Terribly wrong.” Radagast said quickly to Gandalf.

     “Calm down Radagast and tell me what’s going on?” Gandalf and Radagast walked away slightly to be more private. As they were talking howls rent the air. Mayflower looked around and saw the recognition on everyone’s face.

     “Wargs.” Mayflower said quietly, she drew her bow and an arrow, notching it quickly. A warg and an Orc scout burst through the underbrush, Mayflower drew the bow and shot the Orc in the eye causing it to fall to the side. Bofur and Dwalin beat the warg down killing it.

     “Who did you tell besides your kin?”

     “No one”

     “Who did you tell?”

     “No one I swear. Why?”

     “Because you are being hunted.”

     “Let’s get the ponies and go.”

     “We can’t the ponies bolted.” Ori cried out from the side. Radagast looked at Gandalf.

     “I will draw them off, Gandalf.”

     “These are Gundabad Orcs, they will catch you.”

     Radagast laughed and grasped the handles of his sled, “These are Roscobel Rabbits. I’d like to see them try.” And with that he took off as the dwarrow, hobbit and wizard took off running through the woods coming to a clearing.

     As they raced through the clearing pausing behind large boulders as a wizard on a sled led the orcs and wargs on a merry chase. One warg scout caught the scent of the dwarrow and set up on a large boulder they were sheltering behind. Thorin looked to Kili; Kili grabbed his bow and an arrow, took a step from the boulder and shot the orc, causing the warg to tumble from the boulder. Dwalin and Bifur took out the warg but by then it was too late. The company took off again with the orcs hot on their tail. Kili and Mayflower looked at each other and took up stances raising their bows and firing at the Orcs and wargs.

     They looked around and realized that Gandalf was gone. “Thorin, where’s Gandalf?” Fili cried out as he took out a warg. Gandalf popped up from a hidden depression within some stone.

     “This way!” He shouted and waved. The Company took off for the depression which turned out to be a cave. Kili and Mayflower continued shooting. Thorin raised his arm and shouted, “Kili, Mayflower let’s go! This way!” Mayflower took off for Thorin, looked behind her and realized that Kili wasn’t with her. Mayflower headed back for Kili and grabbed his arm pulling him behind her. She pushed Kili into the cave and flung herself in after him sliding down to the base. Right after her an Orc slide down into the cave an arrow in its chest. Thorin looked at the arrow and said “Elves” just as they heard a horn ring through the clearing.

     Bofur was at the back of the cave and said, “There is a path back here. Do we take it?”

     “Yes” Dwalin answered quickly.

     The Company turned and started down the path. Mayflower shuddered a bit as she followed behind. “Magic” she laughed and smiled knowing where they are headed.

     “Mayflower, what is it?” Fili asked looking at her laughing.

     “Well, Fili I know exactly where we are and I am laughing because I know the magic on this path. It’s ancient.” Mayflower looked at Fili with a cheery smile on her face. Gandalf looked at her and Fili and grinned.

     They came to the end of the path and it opened onto a ledge looking out over a valley. “Thorin, let me welcome you to Imladris, known as Rivendell in the common tongue.” Gandalf spoke quietly. Thorin looked at Gandalf and sighed, hefting up his pack, slowly started to move down the path and stairs. Mayflower went ahead of Thorin comfortable on the path as she was with all paths in Rivendell. She moved quickly down the path, Gandalf laughed softly. “I believe it has been some months since she has been here. Mayflower has many friends here in Rivendell.”

     The dwarrow moved almost as quickly as Mayflower. They laughed quietly at her haste and excitement. The dwarrow weren’t as excited as her. Gandalf and the dwarrow moved over the bridge and stood in the courtyard. The circled around each other as a troop of Elves came riding in on horses. Two Elves stood out to Mayflower. “Elrohir! Elladan! Get down off those horses and come greet me.”

     The two elves that she had singled out, stopped their horses as the others did, handing the reins to another Elf waiting to take them to the stables. “Mayflower!” They cried out in unison as they swept towards her. They engulfed her in a tight hug. _“It’s been so long since we have seen you, sister.”_ Another Elf swept into the reunion, this one with golden hair and a bright smile on his face. He too swept Mayflower into a tight hug. “Ada!” she cried, “I didn’t see you riding with them.” She exclaimed happily.

     The golden haired elf laughed and kissed her on the cheek as he set her down on her feet. Elrond and Lindir walked down into the courtyard, “Mithrandir, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company and your friends?”

     Mayflower laughed, “Uncle Elrond!”

     Elrond looked to where the golden haired elf was standing and saw Mayflower. “Well Mayflower, it is very good to see you my dear niece.” Lindir smiled as well spotting Mayflower. “I see your father has already greeted you.” Mayflower stiffened slightly as the dwarrow stared at her and raised their voices in protest. Lindir looked confused, “Oh dear”

     All the Dwarrow and Gandalf looked at Mayflower, “Mayflower? I thought your father was Bungo Baggins.” Gandalf said quietly.

     “Umm well, Bungo raised me as his own but Glorfindel is my sire by blood.” Mayflower looked at the dwarrow and Gandalf quietly.

     “Why didn’t you tell me, Mayflower?” Gandalf asked quietly.

     “Mum,” her voice broke a bit, “asked me not too, Gandalf. No one in the Shire knows that I am half-elven. I was strange enough as it is.” Mayflower looked at the dwarrow, “I hope that this will not be a problem.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

     “No, Mayflower. It won’t be a problem; I just wish that you had told us, so that we were prepared for this.” Thorin stated quietly. Mayflower sighed in relief. She smiled at Thorin and the other dwarrow. She takes the hand of the golden haired elf and pulls him towards Thorin.

     “Thorin Oakenshield, I would like you to meet my father, Glorfindel. Father, this is Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thrain, son of Thror. These are his nephews, Fili and Kili.” Glorfindel bows to Thorin.

     “Welcome to Rivendell, Thorin son of Thrain, son of Thror.” Glorfindel smiles, “Thank you for being so understanding about my daughter’s silence. As she said no one in the Shire knows that she isn’t Bungo Baggins daughter. And that is how her mother wanted it.” Glorfindel looked down at Mayflower, “I don’t care who knows, my daughter is a wonderful person and I am glad that you have seen that.”

     “Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror, I wish to welcome you to Rivendell as well and would like to offer you, food, rest and anything else that you have need of.” Lord Elrond spoke formally and bowed, Lindir also bowed formally.

     “Lord Elrond and Glorfindel, we thank you for the welcome and would love to take rest here. I do have something to discuss with you Lord Elrond, in private if we can?” Thorin also spoke formally and politely to Lord Elrond. Thorin and the rest of the Company bowed to the Elves that welcomed them.

     “Please allow Lindir to show you to rooms, so that you may wash and change for dinner.”

     Lindir turned and motioned for the dwarrow to follow him, Mayflower stayed with Elrond, Glorfindel and the twin sons of Elrond. Fili looked back at her and smiled, she waved him on, “Fili, I’ll see you all in a little while at dinner.”

     “Now Elrohir and Elladan, catch me up on everything?” Mayflower grinned at the two elves, who smiled back at her and laughed. “And is Arwen here?”

     Gandalf, Elrond and Glorfindel watched them walk away, Gandalf turned to Elrond, “Why didn’t you tell me? Either of you?” Elrond looked at Gandalf, “You heard what was said. Belladonna didn’t want anyone else to know. She didn’t want Mayflower treated differently while she lives in the Shire.”

     “Belladonna married Bungo when she went back to the Shire the last time. She didn’t know she was pregnant when she left. I had asked her to stay with me but she didn’t want to tie me to a mortal that would die.” Glorfindel sighed deeply, “I did love her Gandalf but I understand why she did what she did. Bungo didn’t love her as a woman, they were friends, great friends but as you know the Shire isn’t a place that understood people like Bungo. Men that like other men, he married Bella and raised Mayflower because he knew that he would not be able to be himself in the Shire. He was a good father to my daughter and taught her much. When Bella died, Bungo promised to tell Mayflower about me and let her know about the elven side of her heritage. Bungo told her the night before he died and she came here the next spring, we have talked about everything and she knows what being half elven means for her.” Elrond, Gandalf and Glorfindel were walking as they talked. Gandalf looked at Glorfindel and smiled.” She is a wonderful woman, your daughter. I count her a great friend as I did Belladonna.”

     They made their way towards the room where dinner was going to be served. The Dwarrow were waiting outside the room. “Lord Elrond, we noticed that Mayflower never came to where our rooms are. May we ask where she is?” Thorin asked calmly.

     Elrond smiled, “Mayflower has a room here for when she stays with us. It’s in the family wing, which is where my sons walked with her earlier. If she wishes to stay in the guest area where you all are, we will not stop her.” Elrond explained politely. The dwarrow all nodded.

     “I noticed earlier that she called you Uncle Elrond.” Thorin actually grinned as all the dwarrow and some of the elves laughed.

     Elrond was one of the elves that laughed, “Yes, she is the niece of my heart. My children call her their sister, especially my daughter Arwen. Arwen says that she feels better with another female in the family so that she is not the only one smothered by all the males in the family.” Glorfindel laughed, “Elrond, you know if you let Arwen train with us she wouldn’t feel so smothered. You know Mayflower isn’t smothered, she has beaten both Elrohir and Elladan in spars and you know what happens when they try to insist that she not hunt Orcs with them. The bruises she gave they last time were spectacular to say the least.”

     “Arwen trains with you already Glorfindel. She just thinks that I don’t know that she does.” Elrond glanced at Glorfindel, who looked a little sheepish. “Now, please let’s go into dinner. I’m sure Mayflower and my children will be here soon.” He opened the door to the dining room that had been set up for guests. “Thorin, you, Gandalf and Glorfindel will eat at this table with me.” Everyone takes a seat at one of the tables and servers start bringing out platters, of meats, vegetables and wines.

     After everyone had served themselves, the doors opened again and Mayflower, Elrohir, Elladan entered the room quietly. Fili looked up and stopped with his fork half way to his mouth, he stared at Mayflower who was dressed in a lovely dark blue and silver elven dress. Kili looked at Fili and nudged him in the side, Fili started eating again as Mayflower came and sat between him and Kili. She reached for the platters and set a plate for herself, held her goblet up to have it filled.

     Mayflower looked around and realized that everyone was looking at her, well at least all the dwarrow were. She flushed and her ears started to twitch, “What? Do I have something on my face?”

     Fili and Kili laughed softly, “No Mayflower. None of us have seen you in a dress. Only your leathers for traveling.”

     Thorin cleared his throat, “Stop staring you lot. Let Mayflower eat in peace.” Elrond, Glorfindel and Gandalf laughed quietly. Mayflower looked down at her plate and started eating and drinking her wine slowly. Fili and Kili started talking to her quietly. Elrond, Gandalf, Glorfindel, Elrohir and Elladan were conversing quietly at the other table. Soon dinner was over and everyone stood.

     “Mayflower, could we talk you into singing for us tonight?” Elrond asked her softly.

     “Uncle, I haven’t really sung since I was last here but I will try but only tonight.”

     “I thank you, my lovely niece.”

     Fili and Kili looked at Mayflower, “You sing Mayflower? You’ve never sung for us while we were traveling here.”

     Mayflower shrugged, “I only sing here. This is the only place that I sing in public. I don’t even sing in the Shire.” Mayflower led the dwarrow to the Hall of Fire. “Uncle, could you persuade Lindir to play his harp to accompany me?”

     “Which song are you going to sing, Lady Mayflower?” Lindir asked as he walked to a large floor harp.

     Mayflower smiles and blushes, “A Thousand Years, Lindir. And what did I say about calling me Lady Mayflower. It’s just Mayflower, Lindir.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

     Lindir starts the introduction to the sing, playing quietly as Mayflower walks to before his harp, she turns and faces the room quietly watching as everyone started to take seats and listen. She begins singing quietly:

     Heart beats fast

     Colors and promises

     How to be brave

     How can I love when I'm afraid to fall

     But watching you stand alone

     All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow

     One step closer

     I have died every day, waiting for you

     Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years

     I'll love you for a thousand more

     Time stands still

     Beauty in all she is

     I will be brave

     I will not let anything, take away

     What's standing in front of me

     Every breath, every hour has come to this

     One step closer

     I have died every day, waiting for you

     Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years

     I'll love you for a thousand more

     And all along I believed, I would find you

     Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years

     I'll love you for a thousand more

     One step closer

     One step closer

     I have died every day, waiting for you

     Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years

     I'll love you for a thousand more

     And all along I believed, I would find you

     Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years

     I'll love you for a thousand more

     Everyone listened raptly as she sang, her voice gliding through the room as she finished the song. Elrond and everyone clapped quietly as she finished, Mayflower curtseyed after she finished. “Mayflower, will sing one more for us? We miss your singing when you aren’t with us.”

     “Just one more Uncle.”

     “Lindir, start Say Something please.” Lindir started playing the opening chords of the songs, Mayflower cleared her throat and started sing:

     Say something, I'm giving up on you

     I'll be the one, if you want me to

     Anywhere, I would've followed you

     Say something, I'm giving up on you

     And I am feeling so small

     It was over my head

     I know nothing at all

     And I will stumble and fall

     I'm still learning to love

     Just starting to crawl

     Say something, I'm giving up on you

     I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you

     Anywhere, I would've followed you

     Say something, I'm giving up on you

     And I will swallow my pride

     You're the one that I love

     And I'm saying goodbye

     Say something, I'm giving up on you

     And I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you

     And anywhere, I would have followed you

     Oh-oh-oh-oh say something, I'm giving up on you

     Say something, I'm giving up on you

     Say something...

     Her voice rang quietly and sadly through the Hall of Fire, many of the elves wiped tears from their faces as she sang and finished. She turned and curtseyed to everyone. “I think I will turn in now, Uncle, Ada and everyone.” She turned and left the room slowly.

     Everyone watched her walk from the room. Thorin turned to Elrond, “Is she alright?” Glorfindel looked at Thorin, “There are things in her background that she hasn’t really talked about. Unless she brings it up please respect her privacy.”

     Thorin nods his head and sighs, “We all have things that we don’t talk about unless we have too. Believe me I know that well enough and I will make sure that everyone respects her privacy.”

     “I thank you, Thorin.” Glorfindel nodded his head and rose from his chair. “I believe that I will turn in as well.”

     Fili and Kili looked around and noticed that the others were drinking but they decided as well to go and settle into their room. Everyone was woken in the morning; Fili and Kili were woken when their door was knocked on. Fili went and answered it to see Mayflower. “Good morning Mayflower. What can we do for you this morning?”


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

     Mayflower smiled and looked at Fili, “I would like to have someone to spar with beside Elrohir and Elladan because I have beaten them both this morning.”

     Fili laughed, “So you want to spar against me or Kili? Kili’s sword work isn’t the best. You’d be better off shooting against him. And letting him wake on his own cause he can be a grump in the morning as you well know from traveling with us. Let me get dressed and I’ll spar with you.”

     “Thanks Fili. I appreciate it.” Mayflower smiled and stepped away from the door as he shut it so he could get dressed. Fili came out a few minutes later in his travel leathers and his swords. They talked quietly as Mayflower showed him where they could spar. They stopped for a moment and watched as Elrohir and Elladan spar. The way they moved was eloquent and deadly as if they were dancing, but a deadly dance. “They move beautifully, Mayflower. Did they help train you?”

     “Yes, they did. They have been training and sparring with me since I was 15 years old. That was the first time I came here. They put a bow in my hand and I almost immediately nearly shot Elrohir in the foot.” Mayflower laughed softly.

     “Really?”

     “Oh yeah. I was atrocious when I first started learning. No one wanted to even stand next to me when I first started. You should have seen Dad’s face when he stepped onto the archery range and I promptly shot towards him because he startled me.”

     Fili laughed quietly. “You shot towards your dad because he startled you?”

     “Yeah, I was not the most stable of people at the time. I was shaky and had never handled any type of weapon before. Elrohir and Elladan laughed at me for that one.” Mayflower laughed softly, “Dad wasn’t so happy at first then he realized that I never held a weapon before and started working with me. Dad was amazing with me. He would kneel behind me and help me hold the bow until I could do it myself. He did the same when I went to work on the long knives.”

     Fili smiled, “He sounds like he was an amazing teacher much like Uncle Thorin and Dwalin were with me and Kili. Especially when Kili decided that he wanted to make the bow his primary weapon.” They watched Elrohir and Elladan finish their spar. They both waved to Fili and Mayflower. “Have you decided to stop beating on us then sister?” Elladan asked quietly.

     “It’s not that I don’t love sparring with you both but a lot of the time you guys pull your punches when it comes to sparring with me which is why you get bruised and battered.” Fili and Mayflower moved into the sparring circle, getting their weapons ready. Mayflower looked around and realized that since they hadn’t sparred before it might be better to use training weapons. “Training weapons at first, Fili?”

     “Yeah, I think that would be a good idea.” They both removed their weapon and set them to the side, Elrohir and Elladan looked at the pile from both of them.

     “Mayflower, I believe that Master Fili has a few more daggers than you do.” Elladan laughed softly while looking at the piles.

     Mayflower laughed as did Fili, “My family calls me a walking arsenal, which I have learned from my mother believe it or not. I have seen my mum take weapons from places I didn’t know you could place them. I am still highly intrigued by Mayflower’s galarum and how they can be thrown.”

     Mayflower smiled and spoke softly, “Well after we spar, I will show you how they are thrown but they can also be used in close combat. I would let you try them but you don’t have the armored gloves to hold them.”

     They moved back into the sparring field both with two training swords in their hands, Elrohir and Elladan sat next to the piles of weapons that they had removed. Fili and Mayflower got into a starting stance and slowly circled and moved looking for an opening. Neither of them wanted to be the first to move but Fili decided to move left instead of right and swung one of the training weapons to the right as he moved left. Mayflower didn’t fall for the feint, she moved left as well moving a sword up to block the blow coming from Fili. They started moving a little faster as they felt each other out about movements and what not. Fili noticed that her moves were almost as fluid as Elrohir and Elladan’s. Dwarven fighting was built more on power than movement. Fili did move a little bit more than most dwarrow.

     Elrohir and Elladan turned when they noticed some noise behind them. The Company was coming from their rooms looking to spar and train. They had all stopped, watching Mayflower and Fili as they moved and sparred with each other. Their moves fluid and matched neither had gotten a hit on the other yet. Elrohir and Elladan held as finger to their lips calling for quiet as they turned back to the sparring taking place. All the other dwarrow and a couple of elves came a bit closer and settled to either side of the twins watching in awe. None of the Company had ever really seen Mayflower fight or even train.

     Thorin looked at Elrohir who he was sitting next too. “She’s very good. You and Glorfindel should be proud of how well she fights.”

     Elrohir looked at Thorin, “You should see how ferocious she is against Orcs if she is using her long knives.” Thorin nodded. “She was right earlier, saying that we pull our swings when we spar against her. Fili isn’t doing that.”

     “No, Fili wouldn’t do that. He tried that with his mother a few times and she beat the snot out of him for it. He decided that he wouldn’t do that anymore with any woman that can fight or is willing to learn and learn properly.”

     Elrohir laughed quietly, “Master Fili admitted that his mother was the one that taught him how to be a walking arsenal as he put it.”

     “That she did. She has even more weapons than Fili does and I never really know where she is going to pull them from.”

     “Your sister sounds like a formidable woman, Master Oakenshield.” Elrohir told Thorin quietly.

     Thorin looked at Elrohir, “Please call me Thorin and she is indeed a formidable woman. She raised two boys after her husband died in an Orc ambush on a caravan.”

     Elrohir’s face darkened a bit at the mention of an Orc ambush. “More families torn apart by the Orcs.” Elrohir sighs softly, “Your family is not the only one that has lost someone to that filth. Our mother didn’t die but she did sail to the west because of her capture and torture,”

     “I am sorry to hear that Elrohir and Elladan.”

     The sparring match continued between Mayflower and Fili, they were evenly matched. They still hadn’t gotten a shot on each other and they were both starting to tire out. They had been sparring for an hour or more. Mayflower and Fili both stopped at the same time just looked at each other and called it a draw. They hadn’t noticed that they had drawn a crowd until they turned to Elrohir and Elladan. They both startled a bit at all the Company members settled in by the Elves. Mayflower flushed a bit at all the attention. Thorin and Company clapped. “That dear Mayflower was a delightful thing to watch. You move very well and you matched Fili even better than anyone else I have seen.” Thorin stated quietly to her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

     Mayflower flushed in pleasure, “Thank you Thorin. The Elves and the Rangers did well with my training. Fili, do you still want to see how the galarum work when thrown?”

     “I do, Mayflower. And you said that they can be used in close combat as well?”

     They both grab their weapons and put them back where they came from. When they were done, they turned towards the archery range, Elrohir and Elladan behind them, The Company looked at each other and decided that they wanted to see the galarum in action as well. They trooped behind Fili, Mayflower and the elves to the archery range.

     Mayflower pulled the armored gloves from a pouch on her belt, getting one of the galarum ready afterwards. She got into a specific stance, holding the galarum at waist level; she twisted at the waist letting the hand with the weapon settle behind her. She twisted fast at the waist, when she twisted forwards she let the galarum fly from her hand. It flew towards the target and embedded itself deep into the target.

     No one really saw the galarum fly towards and into the target. “Boy, that thing is fast.” Fili commented quietly. Mayflower laughed in delight, “It’s one of the reasons that I love the galarum, Fili. When I use it, the target never really sees it until it settles where I aim it.”

     Fili laughed as well, “I bet. I wish I could try it.”

     “I would let you but your hands are larger than mine and the armored gloves I have won’t fit you. And you would have to have myself or the Rangers train you in the use of it. The Rangers are the ones that came up with the design of it and got Thorin to smith it for me. As far as I know, I am the only person that has this weapon.” Elrohir and Elladan looked at Thorin, “You smithed the galarum?”

     Thorin smiled and replied, “I did from very detailed drawings that the Rangers gave me. Measurements of the weapon and the person that was going to be wielding it. Her boot daggers and throwing daggers were smithed by Fili.”

     Mayflower went over to the target and slowly but steadily pulled the galarum from the target, Kili came up behind her and watched as she moved it carefully to release it. “It embeds deeply into the target.”

     “Almost as deep as an arrow.”

     “And it’s bladed all the way around, Mayflower?”

     Mayflower laughed softly, “Yes, Kili.” She held the galarum out to him and dragged a piece of the armored glove around the edge, the metal hitting the edge made a small squealing noise. Kili flinched a little at the noise. She put the galarum back on the lashed hook that the weapons sat on.

     “Thorin, have you spoken to Uncle Elrond?” Mayflower looked at Thorin.

     “I will be in just a little bit, Mayflower.” Thorin smiled briefly at Mayflower.

     Mayflower nods and smiles. “Is it lunch yet? I believe Fili and I missed breakfast.” Everyone laughed softly. “I believe sister that it is indeed lunch.” Elladan said. Everyone stood and made their way to lunch, Mayflower and Fili talking quietly.

     After lunch, Thorin made his way to Lord Elrond study along with Balin. Thorin rapped his knuckles on the door and Elrond called them into the room. They both stepped in and shut the door. Elrond looked up at them and smiled. “So, you have something you want me to see, Thorin?”

     “Yes, Lord Elrond. I do.” He reaches into a pocket and takes out the map, unfolding it and placing it on Elrond’s desk. “Please Thorin, just Elrond will do.”

     Thorin nods his head and smiles briefly. Elrond looks down at the map and smiles briefly, shutting the curtains and lighting just a small candle, holding the map near the candle he sees the shimmer of the moon runes. “Ah. I see why you wanted me to see this, Thorin? These are definitely moon runes and I know when they can be read. You have about a week to wait for the specific moon and night that we need to read them. Are you going to try and retake Erebor?”

     Thorin nods, “Are you going to try and stop us?”

     Elrond shakes his head, “No. I have the gift of foresight and I have seen that it is time and yes you need Mayflower with you but I have foreseen someone else that needs to go with you. I know that you don’t always get along with Elves, Thorin but I saw Glorfindel taking the journey with you.”

     Thorin and Balin looked at each other, “If he doesn’t come with us. Do we fail?”

     Elrond looked at them both gravely for a moment and makes a foreboding statement. “If Glorfindel doesn’t go, then Erebor is retaken but the line of Durin dies. You, Fili and Kili perish at the end.”

     Thorin and Balin paled at the statement, “Then I believe that we would be happy to have him travel with us and help retake Erebor, Elrond.” Elrond nodded, “There will be a gathering of the White Council a couple of days after I can read the map. I believe it would be prudent for you and your Company to be on your way before Saruman sees you and tries to stop you.” Thorin and Balin both nod, “We will be gone then Elrond. I thank you for all the help that you have given and are giving to us.”

     Thorin and Balin nodded politely after Thorin refolded the map and slipped it back into the pocket he carries it in and left Elrond’s study. They made their way back down to where the other were. “What did Uncle say, Thorin?”

     “He will be able to read the map in a week and he has given his blessing about our journey. Mayflower is not the only one who is going with us. Glorfindel will be joining us as well for the rest of the journey.”

     Balin stated quietly, “We will be leaving the day after the map is read. Gandalf will have to stay here for a meeting of the White Council. Elrond has advised us to leave before Saruman gets here since he will try and stop us.”

     Mayflower looked at Thorin and the Company, “Yes, we should definitely be gone before that person gets here. He is not tolerant of anyone that isn’t an Elf or an Istari. He didn’t like me until he found out that Glorfindel is my father, and then he barely tolerated me.” Mayflower looked around at the others, “I am going to get my things and move into a room with you all here if you don’t mind.”

     “We don’t mind at all, Mayflower.” Kili said before anyone else could.

     Mayflower smiled and walked towards her room in the family wing, “I’m going to go and get my things then. Thorin, would you like me to talk to my Father about him coming with us?”

     “If, you see him then yes please Mayflower.”

     She nods her head in recognition of his words. She walked towards her room in the family wing; her father was standing outside her door. “Ada, have you spoken to Uncle?”

     “I have and I know that Elrond has asked that I be included in the journey to Erebor and I know what you and the Company are doing. I have already gathered my things and I am going to be moving to a room in the guest wing just as you are. So I can get to know everyone a little more. I actually Thorin to protest at least a little.” Mayflower went into her room with her father behind her, packing her things and making sure that she had everything before heading back to the guest wing.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bold is Khuzdul  
> Italics is Sindarin

**Chapter 14**

     Every morning during the week, Mayflower sparred with Fili and Kili. Making Kili use his sword and showing him just a few moves that the elves had taught her, using the fact that Kili is a little faster as opposed to stronger. Dwarrow fighting is usually based on strength as opposed to fast movement. Mayflower as she sparred with Kili she helped him with his movements, getting him moving faster. He would never be the swordsman that Fili is but he had improved. Even Dwalin noticed the improvement in Kili’s swordsmanship.

     The night of the map reading came up. After dinner Thorin, Balin and Elrond went to the room where the map could be read, everyone else decided to get their things all cleaned and packed ready to go the next morning. When Thorin came back he told everyone about the secret door and that they had to be at Erebor by Durin’s Day. “Umm, what’s Durin’s Day?” Mayflower asked quietly.

     "Durin’s Day is when the last moon of Autumn and the sun are in the sky together on the day of the Dwarrow New Year.” Thorin replied to her question.

     Mayflower looks at the dwarrow, “Will we make it in time?”

     Gloin and Balin are looking at a map and counting the length of the journey and the days they had left. Gloin looked up and said quietly, “We will make it.” Everyone actually smiled and sighed in relief. “We will actually make it with a little time to spare actually.”

     Everyone moved to their rooms and got a good night’s sleep. When they woke in the morning, Elladan, Elrohir and Elrond were there to see them off and make sure they had the provisions needed for their journey. Elrond looked at Mayflower, “If you need us for anything, you find a way to send us a message. We will send Gandalf onwards as soon as the Council is over.”

     Thorin and Company smiled at the elves thanking them for their hospitality. Mayflower hugged them and replied, “If we need you I will send for you, Uncle.” They made their way to a small path that Glorfindel showed them, leaving Rivendell behind.

     They climbed for several hours, talking and laughing with each other. Mayflower handed everyone a roll with meat and cheese inside. “This way we can keep going while we eat.” Everyone cheered quietly, moving as swiftly as possible. Fili fell back to walk with Mayflower, “Smart idea, Mayflower. We eat and keep moving this way no camp setup and break down.”

     “Well Fili, I figured that considering we now have a deadline as to when we need to be in Erebor, eating lunch while moving is a good thing.” Ori also fell into step with Mayflower and Fili. “Miss Baggins, could you tell me a bit about Hobbit culture?”

     “I will but you can call me Mayflower, Master Ori.” Mayflower looked at Ori and smiled slightly. Ori blushed as she looked at him and dug his journal out of his bag, quill and a small well of ink.

     Ori smiled, “Alright Mayflower. You should call me Ori then. What can you tell me about Hobbits?”

     Mayflower laughed, “Well, I can tell you pretty much everything. Hobbits really don’t have secrets. We have a language, Hobbitish. That is sectioned off into two forms, Old Hobbitish which almost no one speaks anymore and New Hobbitish, which everyone speaks. We also use flowers to convey messages.”

     “Flowers, Mayflower?” Ori looked up as he finished writing. “Do you know any of this Old Hobbitish?”

     “Yes Ori, flowers. As Hobbits we are taught that flowers have meanings, like red roses mean love, longing or desire. White roses mean purity, chastity and innocence. Each flower has a meaning and Hobbits use them mostly in courting. If a Hobbit lad wants to court a Hobbit lass, he will start with a small bouquet conveying the fact that he wants to court the Hobbit lass he sent the bouquet too.”

     Ori smiled and kept writing, “So Hobbits use flowers in courting. What else is done with Hobbit courting?”

     “Hobbit courting takes at least a year; it involves Flowers as I already told you but also walks, dancing, and food. Always chaperoned of course. Though many courting couples will try and get some time alone to exchange kisses, if not more.” Mayflower laughs and smiles. “Though I believe most courting couples will try to get alone time no matter what race they are.” Ori and Fili both flushed a bit at that statement. “What else do you want to know, Ori?”

     Ori finished writing, the flush still on his cheeks, “Well, did you have anyone that wanted to court you, Mayflower?” Fili looked at Mayflower and smirked a bit at seeing the flush creep up her cheeks and the twitch starting in her ears.

     “Actually, I was never really courted by any Hobbit. Most of them thought me a little too weird. And the ones that did want to try and court me did so because I was Papa Bungo’s heir. So all they wanted was my money, my land and control of the businesses that Papa Bungo left me. Most hobbits didn’t find me very attractive. I am too tall, too slender and my feet too small. To Hobbits feet are a big attraction and since mine are small and hairless, they are not considered attractive.” She shrugged, the smile dropping from her face. Fili and Ori looked at her. Fili was indignant, “You are beautiful Mayflower. Not too tall or to slender.” Fili flushed a bit as Mayflower smiled at him.

     Mayflower hugged Fili and kissed his cheek causing him to blush even more, “Thank you Fili but the Hobbit ideal is someone that has a round middle, large hairy feet, is the average height for a Hobbit, which means I am about 4 inches too tall.” She released Fili from the hug and kept walking, Ori noticed how Fili blushed and stumbled for a moment after she released Fili from the hug. Fili looked at Ori and started walking again, not looking at Ori.

     Ori reached out and touched Fili’s shoulder, Fili turned and looked at Ori, “ **Do you like Mayflower, Fili?** ”

     “ **Of course I do Ori. She is a wonderful person. Who wouldn’t like her?** ” Fili answered and yet evaded the question at the same time. Ori looked at Fili and looked like he was going to ask another question but Fili shook his hand off and started walking again. They stopped just as the sky was starting to darken, they were higher up in the Misty Mountains now and it was getting colder. Everyone set their bedrolls out, getting the camp together and starting on dinner. Mayflower pulled Kili aside to a cleared spot and started drilling him on the moves that she had been showing him in Rivendell, with Glorfindel calling out advice. Dinner was called and Kili and Mayflower stopped the spar and went to get dinner. When Mayflower sat down, Kili and Fili flanked her and they ate together talking quietly, Ori watching Fili the whole time. As everyone ate, they all talked amongst each other quietly. Balin looked at Mayflower, “Miss Baggins, could I ask some questions?”

     “Please, Master Balin call me Mayflower and what questions?” Mayflower cocked her head to the side and looked to Balin. “Well, these questions are rather personal but I am curious. Why did you mother not want anyone to know that you were half elf?”


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

     Mayflower sighed, “I was waiting for this question. Mainly because Hobbits are intolerant of Hobbits that are not full Hobbit. Most Hobbits that are only half are half of the race of Men. Mum didn’t want us to be shunned by the Hobbits of the Shire. It’s basically the same reason that Papa Bungo married Mum. If the Shire had found out that Papa Bungo was attracted to males as opposed to females, he would have been shunned as well. Hobbits can be very intolerant of certain things.”

     All the dwarrow looked at Mayflower, all with different levels of indignant looks on their faces. Glorfindel sighed and moved behind Mayflower placing a hand on her shoulder. Mayflower looked down for a moment, not looking any of the dwarrow in the eyes. Balin spoke quietly, “Mayflower, we, Dwarrow, do not have the same issues as Hobbits. We don’t care that you are half elven and we don’t care that your Papa Bungo liked males instead of females. As a matter of fact, Dwarrow don’t have many females and we don’t care if males are attracted to other males or even females to other females.” Mayflower looks up at Balin, “Really?”

     “Yes, Mayflower. As a matter of fact, I myself am attracted to males. Most of the Company knows this.” Balin smiles kindly. “Have I been treated any differently that you can think of?”

     “No, you haven’t been treated any differently, Balin.” She leans forward and hugs Balin tightly. “Thank you for understanding. All of you.” She looked up at all the Dwarrow and smiles. The Company smiles back, Mayflower looks at Fili and blushes gently almost no one notices. She looked around and smiled just a little sadly, “Also, I think you should all know that when this quest is done. I will not be going back to the Shire. I have stopped aging as Hobbits do. I will look like I do now for the rest of my life. I have left my home to my favorite Baggins cousin.”

     The Company looked at each other, Gloin is the one that asks, “Where will you go after the quest is finished, lass?”

     Mayflower looks at everyone and touches her father’s hand on her shoulder. “I will move to Rivendell and live there. I will continue patrolling with the Elves and possibly the Rangers.”

     Thorin, Balin and Dwalin look at each other, “You could stay in Erebor with us if you like Mayflower. I will not insist but the offer is there if you wish it.” Thorin states quietly and all the Company nods their heads at her.

     She looks up at all of them, “Thank you Thorin. I will think about it carefully.” They all got ready for sleep. Mayflower slipped into her bedroll and pulled her blankets up and tried to sleep. It was chillier than normal and she shivered just a bit. Fili and Kili looked over, nodded to each other and got up and moved their bedrolls on either side of Mayflower. Mayflower looked up and smiled at them. “Are you guys alright?”

     Fili replied quietly, “We’re fine, Mayflower but we saw you shivering so we though that we would bunk next to you and keep you a little warmer. Dwarrow are almost always warm.” With that said they both got into their bedrolls on either side of her and lay down for the night. She noticed right away that she was definitely warmer than before; she smiled and closed her eyes falling asleep almost instantly. Fili gazed at her face for a moment before shutting his eyes, scooting closer to her to keep her as warm as possible. Glorfindel watched from his watch post and smiled as did Thorin. They looked at each other and nodded, both of them realizing that Fili and Mayflower just might have feelings for each other.

     When they awoke in the morning, Mayflower realized that she couldn’t move, she was pinned down. She looked down and noticed an arm wrapped around her waist. Her eyes followed the arm to the person it was attached to and realized that she was pulled up tight against Fili, her back to his chest. Fili had burrowed his face into her hair and was still sleeping deeply. Mayflower smiled and tried to move his arm so she could get up and start breakfast. She looked around and realized that most of the other dwarrow were already awake and smiling to themselves as they saw were Fili had wrapped himself around her. She blushed deeply and slipped away from Fili’s chest or tried to, he pulled her back to his chest and snuggled her against his chest again. “Fili, you need to wake up.” She spoke to him softly. Fili groaned softly, “Don’t wanna” he grumbled, burrowing his face back in her hair and neck. She turned around and placed her hands on his chest and tried to push him, “Wake up Fili. We need to get up and get ready to leave.”

     Fili groaned again and blearily opened his eyes and realized what had happened in the middle of the night. Fili blushed deeply and moved his arm from her waist. “Sorry Mayflower.” Fili rolled onto his back and looked around the camp and noticed that the others were all smiling.

     “You don’t have to be sorry Fili. It’s alright. Its colder this far up into the mountains. You kept me quite warm, thank you.” Mayflower blushed abit, got up and started to clean up her bedroll, slipping it into its water proof container. She pulled her comb from her pack after packing everything back into it. She removed the ties that held her hair, pulling her comb through it. “Ada, would you help please.” She looked at Glorfindel and held out the comb. He took it and sat behind her, carefully running the comb through her pale gold curls. He then took some of the hair on the side of her head and started plaiting it into a complicated elven warrior’s braid, putting the ties back in. The braids hung behind her ears and then wrapped around the rest of her hair corralling it into a tail.

     The dwarrow watched this process with wide eyes and rapt expressions on their faces. “Glorfindel, what are those braids that you put in Mayflower’s hair?”

     Glorfindel looked up and answered Ori’s question. “Well, these braids are elven warrior braids. They symbolize that she has become a warrior since she has reached the age of an elf were she will not grow anymore. Which she told you all last night, she will no longer age as Hobbits do. Elves stop their aging at 50 years old. Since I am her Ada and instructor it is my job to put these braids in the first time after she stops aging.”

     “Glorfindel, what exactly does Ada mean?” Ori asked then since none of the dwarrow spoke Sindarin.

     Mayflower laughed and answered that question, “It means Dad. The more formal term is Adar, which means Father. You are the first people besides my elven family to hear me call him that. I only ever call him that in Rivendell, which is hard when he comes to visit the Shire.” All the dwarrow smiled at her explanation. Bombur called out, “Breakfast is ready.” Everyone turned grabbing their bowls and filing by to get breakfast. Mayflower put the comb back in her bag, Dori handed her a cup of tea. ”Thank you Dori.”

     “You are most welcome, Mayflower.” Dori turned back to his breakfast. Everyone ate quickly and shouldered their packs and supplies after cleaning up the camp. Fili and Mayflower walked by each other again, Ori on the other side of Mayflower. “May I ask more questions, Mayflower. About Hobbits that is?”

     “Of course, you can Ori. I will answer whatever I can.”

     “Now, we were talking about flowers. You said that they are used in Hobbit courting?”

     “Yes, they are and that all flowers have meanings.”

     Ori smiled at remembering what she had said just the other day, “How long do Hobbit courtships last?”


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

     Mayflower laughed quietly, “I think I covered that last time but they usually last at least a year. Some have lasted longer but I will say this Mum and Papa Bungo’s was quite a scandal. They were married within weeks of her returning from Rivendell the last time.”

     “What are the steps in Hobbit courting?” Ori asked while writing.

     “Well, it always starts with a bouquet of intent between the couple. Then you can start with group walks, usually at least 2 couples and 2 chaperones. Then after a few walks, there are always parties of some type in the Shire so the couple dances at least twice. Then more walks eventually leading to picnics, luncheon and then dinners, always chaperoned of course. Though like I said, the couple usually tries to find a way to be alone together to at least steal kisses. And possibly a cuddle or two.” Mayflower laughs softly, “And then comes the big meal, where the 2 families get together. It’s usually the female of the couple that makes this meal, basically to show off her cooking skills. The Hobbit lass’s family brags about her cooking skills and any other skills she has, like sewing, embroidery, tatting and things of that nature.”

     Ori smiled, “Well, that sounds fun, actually. Even with the chaperones.”

     “Well, the parties are fun. There is dancing, drinking, and food. And it’s usually the only time I will wear a dress in the Shire.”

     Fili smiled at Mayflower, “Really, so we would have to throw a party to get you into another dress.”

     “Yes, Fili. I would wear a dress to any parties the dwarrow throw. I would also more than likely fit in better at a Dwarrow party since I have to wear shoes with any dress I wear.”

     Ori and Fili looked at each other and then her. “Did they say anything about your shoes?”

     Mayflower bit her bottom lip, “I know it was dark when you all arrived at the Shire but did you not see any other Hobbits before you got to my smial?” Mayflower looked at both of them.

     Both Fili and Ori shook their heads. “No, we didn’t. They mainly went into their homes when they saw us.”

     Mayflower smiles, “Don’t take any offense at that. Most Hobbits don’t enjoy meeting strangers. That explains a few things though. But no, Hobbits don’t wear boots or shoes of any kind. Their feet are extremely tough on the bottom of their feet like leather. And because I am part elf, my feet aren’t as tough as theirs, so I need to wear boots and shoes. Just another way that I am different from typical Hobbits. It doesn’t bother me though, I love my differences.”

     Fili and Ori grinned at her and then each other. “We like your differences as well, Mayflower. Gandalf didn’t really tell us what to expect when we got to your home. Only that you would be useful, he didn’t tell us that you had any knowledge of weapons or anything of that nature.”

     “Well, Gandalf should have told you that at least but then I know Gandalf and he does like to make people make their own observations about others.”

     They didn’t stop for lunch again this day. Just walked and ate biscuits and jerky that was passed down the line of the Company. Everyone was tired when they stopped later that day to make camp. Glorfindel had scouted ahead and had come back and told Thorin what to expect. When he was done he came over to where Mayflower, Fili, Kili and Ori were sitting together, talking and laughing. Glorfindel handed Mayflower something from his pack, “You’ll need those tomorrow Mayflower.”

     Mayflower takes the pieces of leather and metal that he handed her and smiled. “I’m glad you remembered them Ada. I forgot.” She removes her boots and slowly takes the pieces of leather and metal, attaching them to her boots with ties. These pieces of leather had small metal spikes on the bottom of them and metal caps on the heel and toe of the boots. Fili, Kili and Ori looked at her boots and these pieces of leather and metal with surprise.

     “Mayflower, what are those?” Kili asked while pointing at her boots. Mayflower laughs, “Well, Kili, my boots are not made like dwarrow boots. Mine are softer more flexible leather. While yours are harder and tougher leather which means that you have a surer grip on slippery stone. These pieces of leather and metal will give me the same grip as your boots do you.” She puts her boots back on and stands, walking around a small space to make sure that she would not have to retie or adjust the pieces.

     Bombur called them all over for dinner. Everyone grabbed their bowls and lined up to be served. Taking their bowls back to where they were before, Mayflower and the brothers and Ori all ate and talked to each other about little things. Later that night when everyone was bedded down, Fili unconsciously pulled Mayflower closer to him to keep her warmer and Mayflower turned and cuddled her head just underneath his. Thorin, Balin and Glorfindel witnessed this taking place. Glorfindel and Thorin looked at each other, “Maybe we should talk about this.” Glorfindel gestured to the couple. Balin smiled and laughed softly. Thorin smirked just a bit, “I don’t believe that we can stop what is happening between them.”

     “I don’t want to stop it, Thorin but I didn’t want you to object to it either.”

     Thorin shakes his head, “I don’t wish to stop it, Glorfindel. I believe that Mayflower is Fili’s One. Do Elves have a fated mate?”

     “Elves have a heart bond. A heart bond is something that we cannot stop or even want to stop. It is something that most Elves look for their whole lives. I believe that Mayflower and Fili will be this to each other. Is a One a fated mate?”

     “Dwarrow believe that our creator Mahal, when He forged us, He would split our souls in half and each piece will find the other and when they do, that is our One. The other half of us, which I believe Mayflower, is to Fili. I just don’t know if he has realized it himself.”

     Glorfindel laughs and smiles. Balin has been quiet the whole time, “We may have to push them to say something to each other.” Balin looked at them both, “I shouldn’t have to say this to Thorin since he knows how stubborn Fili can be. But unless Fili is pushed, he may not say anything to Mayflower.” Balin sighs. Glorfindel smiled a bit, “Mayflower is just as stubborn. She didn’t grow up knowing about heart bonds, which her mother was for me.” Glorfindel smiles a little sadly at remembering.

     “Mayflower’s mother was your heart bond? But she was married to Bungo Baggins.” Balin and Thorin looked at each other and then to Glorfindel.

     “Yes, she was. When I told Belladonna about the heart bonds, she told me flat out that even though she loved me. She wouldn’t bond with me and tie me to someone that would die after a short span of time. She married Bungo because they were the best of friends. She told him everything about me and her and being pregnant. Bungo knew everything. He didn’t marry Belladonna because he loved her like a man. He loved her as a friend; he was attracted to males which is not something accepted in Hobbit society.”

     Thorin and Balin sighed softly, “So she was thinking of you when she turned down the bond? She didn’t want to be selfish.”


	17. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**To My Readers** :

 

      I am sorry that I have been absent as of late but I have had writer's block. The reason that the story has been reposted is because I inadvertently deleted it. I am going to try and write a little in the next week or so. Hopefully it will be in this story but I also have Hobbit One Shots that I am doing and it might be that work that I post in.

     So I posted the next chapter in this story and am working on the next. Now a problem with the format of this story was brought to my attention and I believe that the format issue has been resolved. Please enjoy and let me know what you think so far.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I got this Chapter done. YAY!!!! And I believe that Fili is finally acknowledging that Mayflower may be more than a friend.
> 
> Bold is Khuzdul  
> Italics is Sindarin

**Chapter 17**

     Glorfindel looked at Thorin and Balin, “Exactly, but because Mayflower didn’t learn about heart bonds until she came to Rivendell at 15, she may not recognize the signs of it.”

     Thorin looked at Glorfindel, “What are the signs of a heart bond?”

     “The first sign is mainly that the person feeling the beginnings of a bond want to be constantly around the person they are feeling the bond for. Which Mayflower is already exhibiting as she spends most of her time with Fili. Think about how she was in Rivendell, always sparring with Fili, eating close to Fili, walking with Fili. They are constantly with each other and it’s not always Fili that searches her out. Most of the time its Mayflower always looking for and going to Fili.”

     Thorin and Balin looked thoughtful, “Will this keep up the longer they are together?”

     Glorfindel laughed softly, “Oh yes. She will always want to be around him.”

     Thorin and Balin laughed softly. The rest of the watches passed swiftly. Again Mayflower and Fili woke up wrapped around each other in the morning and both blushed deeply. The day was more walking and going higher and higher into the mountains. As they walked the rains started again and then the thunder and lightning. That night when they camped there was no fire and it didn’t matter if Fili and Mayflower cuddled each other as everyone slept pretty much against each other.

     As they walked and walked, they were all realizing that it was getting harder and harder to keep their footing on the slippery stone walkways that they were traversing. Kili looked at Thorin, “Uncle, we need to find a cave or something. We need to try and get dry.” Thorin looked at Kili. “Yes, take Glorfindel and scout ahead. See if you can find a dry place.” Kili gestured to Glorfindel and they went ahead coming back a few minutes later. “Thorin, we found a shallow cave. There is nothing in it. We should be able to get a semi decent night’s rest.”

     Thorin and the Company followed Kili and Glorfindel to a cave and everyone realized that they would all fit and be dry that night. Oin and Gloin got set to start a fire for the night. Thorin looked at them and said, “No fire. It would be a beacon for anyone else in the mountains.”

     Everyone groaned internally, but they got the bedrolls set for the night, and settled down for the night. Suddenly, everyone awoke to cries from Thorin but it was too late, they were suddenly falling. They landed after falling for several minutes. They landed in some sort of basket. Everyone groaned and tried to stand when suddenly Goblins came from every direction and began manhandling everyone into a large group. Glorfindel was separated and tied tightly, he tried to fight but they beat on him until the Goblins were able to get him in ropes. The Goblins shuffled everyone along, not noticing the small but fierce fighter that was in a corner of the basket.

     She rose to her feet and as silently as she could she started after them. As she was crossing the bridge to stay within sight of her companions, a small Goblin jumped in front of her and they began to fight before they both went over the edge of the bridge, Mayflower cried out causing some of the Dwarrow to look over the edge and see Mayflower falling to what they assumed was her death. “NO!” Fili called out and tried to fight to the edge of the bridge and platform.

     Fili watches in horror as Mayflower falls beyond his reach. Glorfindel looks at Fili, “She fell, Glorfindel. I couldn’t reach her.” Glorfindel’s shoulders slump as he is pulled along by the goblins. Thorin, Balin and Dwalin look at each other as they are shuffled along. Fili stumbles as he is pushed not caring as the Goblins push and prod him.

     Meanwhile, as Mayflower falls, she screams because she thinks she is going to die. She finally lands and is knocked unconscious, she wakes several moments later and wrinkles her nose at the smell around her. She raises up on her arms and realizes that she has landed on some rather large mushrooms and it is them that smells. She gets to her feet and looks around not that she can see much since it is absolutely pitch dark.

     She reaches behind her for her long knives and starts forward, she trips over the goblin that she fell with. She puts her hands out to catch her fall as she does she feels a small metal ring, that she picks up and puts in her pocket without looking at it. She stands and slowly starts her way down a tunnel and slowly hears some noise. She turns to where the noise came from and sees something dragging the struggling goblin off into another tunnel.

     Sighing, she starts back the way she came and heads into the tunnel where the creature and the goblin had gone. She slowly makes her way to the edge of the tunnel where there is a faint light. She peers out and hears garbled singing as the creature rams a rock into the head of the goblin. She stays to the shadows as much as she can and tries to head for the other side of the large cavern. Suddenly, the singing stops, so Mayflower stops as well. She turns to find where that creature is and can’t find him. There is a large scream as the creature pounces on her from a large boulder near where she is placed in the shadows.

     Mayflower keeps her cool and grabs the arms of the creature that attacked her. She throws it from her and readies her long knives, watching ahead of her as the creature rights itself. “Stay away unless you want to be hurt, creature.” She says strongly.

     “What is it? Is it tasssty? Is it juiiicccy?”

     “Mayflower Baggins is my name.”

     “Bagginnnns….what’s a bagginnss, precious?”

     “A Hobbit of the Shire, is what I am.” Mayflower stated quietly, watching the creature as it watched her. It tried to creep closer. Mayflower put her knives forward and leaned back on her foot to step forward swiftly if she needs to.

     “What is in its hands, Precious?”

     “Weapons made by Elves, creature. Now as I said stay back unless you want to be hurt.”

     Suddenly, the creature leaps at Mayflower yet again and Mayflower reacts as she has been taught. She brings her knives around and steps back and then forwards. When she is finished the creature lies at her feet dead, she sighs and cleans her knives and starts towards the large tunnel opening on the opposite side of the cavern. She keeps walking making turns and twists as she does.

     She comes to the end of the tunnel and realizes that there is a light. She steps back into the shadows as she hears noise coming down the lit tunnel. She realizes that it’s the dwarrow, Glorfindel and Gandalf as they pass her. She steps forward and trips the metal ring that she had put in her pocket has slipped out and as she lands it slips on her finger and suddenly she is engulfed in a world that is washed out and she stands and heads after the others, slipping through the door just as it is closed.

     She looks down and realizes that this ring was on her finger and as she focused on it she felt the oily slick feeling of it all around her. She quickly pulled it from her finger and took off running towards the other, still as silent as before. As she stops for a moment she hears the outcry of “Where is Mayflower?” from Gandalf and Fili’s reply, “She fell, Gandalf.” He sounds as if he is holding back tears. She is behind a tree and they can’t see her. She tries to catch her breath as she comes from around the tree.

     “Yes, I fell but I landed on these rather large and springy foul smelling mushrooms. Though I did hit my head.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They finally acknowledge that they feel more than friendship for each other. YAY!!! They were being dolts. I couldn't get them to say it before now.

**Chapter 18**

     Oin as the healer heads towards Mayflower and checks out her head. “Any hazy or blurred vision, dear?”

     “No, Master Oin. Just a little pain is all.” She replies quietly glancing at everyone.

     Suddenly, from behind them they hear the cries of wargs. Thorin looks at Gandalf and Glorfindel, “Out of the frying pan….”

     “And into the fire. RUN!” Gandalf and everyone starts running down towards a copse of trees. Dodging rocks and falling trees and branches. Fili grabs Mayflower’s hand and they start running behind everyone. The wargs sound closer and closer.

     “Climb! Up into the trees.” Gandalf cries out and climbs quickly. Glorfindel not far behind him. All the dwarrow start climbing the trees and Fili boosts Mayflower up to a branch and climbs quickly after her. They climb as far up as they can and look down seeing the wargs clustering around the base of the trees.

     Mayflower unslings her bow which she had been able to keep with her, Glorfindel as well readying his bow. They nod to each other and brace themselves on the tree branches they are on and start firing arrows into the wargs, aiming for eyes mainly. Several yelped and moved out of the way. Gandalf dropped a flaming pinecone down to Fili after calling his name. Pinecones were lit on fire and sent towards the wargs, many of their pelts catching fire. They yelped and created chaos amongst themselves as they try and put out the flames in their pelts catching the ground on fire while doing so.

     All of a sudden the wargs back away and look towards the edge of the clearing as a white warg and a tall Pale Orc come into the clearing. Mayflower hears Thorin, “No, it cannot be.”

     Mayflower looked from Thorin to the pale Orc. And remembers the story that Balin had told one night, she pales a bit at realizing that this is the Orc that had killed Thorin’s Grandfather and that most of the dwarrow had thought this Orc was dead and gone.

     The wargs started jumping around the base of the trees again and all of a sudden, the tree they are in starts to fall. They all have to get ready to jump to another tree. As each tree falls, they jump to the next until they are all in the same tree and it’s the last one. The tree starts to fall, bouncing and finally settling at an angle. Some of the dwarrow are hanging onto branches, Dori is hanging onto a branch with Ori hanging onto him. Dori slips and Gandalf quickly jabs his staff down and Dori grabs it.

     As this is happening steps are thudding down the tree trunk and Mayflower looks up as Thorin passes by her. She mumbles, “What is he thinking?” She watches Thorin stalk down the tree and through the flames towards the Pale Orc. She scrambles to get onto the trunk as she watches the fight, ending with Thorin on the ground after being used as a chew toy by the white warg.

     Mayflower quickly makes her way down the tree trunk and grabs her long knives, rushing to an orc that was going to behead Thorin. She rushes and jumps on it and stabs it in the eye and pulls the long knife from the orc and slit its throat. She goes and stands in front of the prone figure of Thorin and readies herself. The white warg steps towards her as Azog growls at her in Black Speech. Mayflower grins fiercely just waiting for her moment. The white warg comes closer and Mayflower slips down and quickly slits the throat of the warg causing Azog to be thrown as the warg stumbles and dies quickly.

     “You will not get to him through me.” Mayflower quickly stands again, hearing the dwarrow and Glorfindel come rushing towards the fight and taking on the other orcs and wargs. Azog slowly stalks Mayflower, she just smiles and bounces on the balls of her feet. Azog swings towards her and she ducks swiftly and slices across his torso. He roars in pain as her long knife slices into his skin, blood slowly dripping down. He moves towards her again, she ducks and moves to his side and slices behind his knee, which folds underneath him.

     He growls in anger, she steps up to him and smiles as she slices across his throat. He now looks perplexed as he slowly topples to the ground. Hearing cries in the air, Mayflower looks up and sees the Giant Eagles as they pick up and throw wargs and orcs off the Cliffside. She watches as one picks up Thorin and then she is picked up and dropped to ride another Eagle. She shrieks as she falls until she lands on the Eagle. They fly through the night, she can hear Fili and Kili calling Thorin’s name. She puts her long knives away and lays down and bit and falls lightly asleep.

     The Eagle she is on wakes her gently as they land on a large tower of stone. She climbs down from the Eagle and thanks him before watching him take off. She turns and watches Gandalf and Glorfindel work on Thorin. Thorin wakes and tries to stand. He is helped by Dwalin.

     “Mayflower is fine Thorin. She is right here.”

     Thorin stands and makes his way to Mayflower and looks down at her before pulling her into his arms. “Mayflower, I owe you my life. Thank you.”

     Dwalin snorts, “More than that Thorin. She killed Azog and his damned white warg.”

     Thorin looks at Mayflower and smiles. “Well, not just my life then but the Line of Durin owes you their lives.”

     Mayflower smiles and looks around, her ears twitching as she flushes a bit pink. She mumbles, “I take any chance to kill Orcs since the Fell Winter.” Mayflower returns the hug and backs away still uncomfortable being the center of attention. Fili steps up to her and hugs her tightly, her arms go around his neck and her face into the crock between his neck and shoulder. She mumbles thinking only Fili will hear her, “I thought I lost you, Fili.” She quickly realizes that the other dwarrow could hear her as Nori whoops out loud and some of the others said, “Finally”

     Both Mayflower and Fili look up and realize that everyone is smiling and circled around them. They both blush and duck their heads. Glorfindel comes over to Mayflower and Fili. He kneels placing a hand on each of them, “I am very happy for you both.” He presses a kiss to Mayflower’s forehead and squeezes Fili’s shoulder.

     Thorin and Kili hug Mayflower and slap Fili on the back. “Did everyone think we were becoming more than friends?” Fili asked quietly.

     “Pretty much, Fili.” Thorin gently bumps Fili’s forehead with his own and whispers quietly, “I could see that she is your One.” Kili was hugging Mayflower tightly, “Kili, I need to breathe.” Kili flushed and let her go quickly. “Sorry, Mayflower.”

     “It’s alright Kili. You just have to remember that I am not built like you.” She smiles and hooks her foot behind his and sends him to his butt. “And besides, I can always do that to you if you forget again.” Kili, Fili, Thorin and everyone laughed. They took stock of the supplies that they still had left which wasn’t much.

     “Let’s get down and see if we can find some water and maybe try and hunt for some meat and maybe find some other edible plants.” Thorin started for the stairs with Dwalin beside him, helping him down the stairs. Mayflower grabs Fili’s hand and slowly follows behind them all.


End file.
